MechWarrior-By Pale Moonlight
by War Raptor
Summary: Mechwarrior Raylan is on a new Exodus. As the Refusal war rages on, he finds peace only in battle. A sinister nemesis lurks within the shadow, however, and as his Clan claws desperately against total annihilation, events threaten to devour Raylan. Reviews and constructive criticisms welcome! 1st Story!
1. Supplemental-Character Index

Mechwarrior-By Pale Moonlight

Character Index

 **Star Captain Raylan** \- A Clan Wolf mech pilot, he has seen action during Operation REVIVAL (The Clan Invasion) and now during the Refusal War. During the invasion, he served under Star Captain Cary Vickers after his star was left incapacitated. With an almost infallible calm and calculating personality, he strives to be the epitome of Clan Wolf's Warrior Caste. He is notable for having silver white hair and striking green eyes and numerous famous Wolves in his codex including Alicia Raddick, and Tamara Vickers. Still, despite years of faithful service and exemplary battle records, his career seems to have stagnated. This has led him to accept more and more dangerous assignments and gain a reputation as something of a risk taker. He has also gained a reputation for being devious and underhanded, leading to mistrust and anger from those around him.

His primary 'mech is a blood red, tiger striped _Timber Wolf_ he has called "Tala" and has configured it for close range brawling and massive damage. He has also piloted a _Kit Fox_ , _Hellbringer,_ and _Dire Wolf_ in his time but none have matched him like the _Timber Wolf_ and he always finds his way back to her.

 **Star Captain Vera Raddick** \- A Clan Wolf traditionalist and heavy believer in the Crusader way, she is well known and well feared within the 341st for her temperament. As a pilot, she has displayed great skill across the chassis range, but favors a medium weight _Stormcrow_ for its scrappy profile and brawling capability.

Quick to anger, Vera has little time for those she views as below herself and anyone she believes is _dezgra_. More than once she has been called to Trials of Grievance for disregarding orders in order to stay within her own view of the Clan way.

 **Mechwarrior Clara** \- Sibkin with both Vera Raddick and Raylan, Clara has shown herself to work well in a fire support role. Luckily, Clan Wolf has been more than happy to accommodate her skill set where others would shirk such a tactic. Clara has stayed close to Raylan, her _Mad Dog_ providing harassing and covering fire while his _Timber Wolf_ goes in to savage the enemy.

Still, her use of "Rain of Death" tactics has led to her being viewed as less of a warrior amongst those outside her star, though none would say so to her face. It has left her career stagnating, though it doesn't seem to bother her too much.

 **Star Captain Cary Vickers** \- Having served in Operation: REVIVAL during waves 3, 4, and 5, she suffered burns on her right side during the battle for Engadin after the Defense Brigades used Inferno rounds. Fighting on, she brought honor to her Assault Cluster and the operation as a whole. An assault chassis pilot from the word "go", Cary is vary rarely in anything weighing less than her _Gargoyle_.

Never feeling the weight of tradition, Cary has brought the ire of many other commanders on her. She always brings good results and a fervor to battle rarely seen, but her tactics have made some question if the ends justify the means.

 **Star Colonel Cole Woods** \- A massive Ghost Bear mechwarrior who might as well be an elemental. He is cold as ice, and survived his trial of position and blooding. He even killed one of the legendary ghost bears his clan earned its name from and now wears its pelt as a cloak during ceremonies.

Equally massive is his _Kodiak_ , his 100-ton assault mech heavily stylized with totem symbols and designs. He fought in Operation: REVIVAL in multiple battles as well as in the death knell of the invasion on Tukayyid. Almost eerily calm, many give him a wide berth. Stranger still, no one knows what his "Great Work" is and he rarely discusses it with anyone outside a small circle of people he trusts.

 **Galaxy Commander Sigrun Tseng** \- If Clara is Raylan's shadow, Sigrun has had Cole as hers. The pair were sibkin, and Sigrun put him in place multiple times. In fact, if rumors are to be believed, Sigrun is the only person to beat Cole in hand to hand, mech and knife fighting multiple times. The pair completed their blooding together, claiming ghost bears as trophies. Her career has been filled with victories and glory, leading to her position as Galaxy Commander on the Pentagon Worlds and now in charge of many of the routes to the Rasalhague Republic.

Piloting a _Warhawk_ , she tends to subscribe by the "Lead by Example" type of leadership and can often be found charging the enemy head on. She, as all Ghost Bear's, has been long working on her Great Work. She is an excellent painter, and her "Great Work" is a recreation of her units final charge on Tukayyid. An excellent leader, collected in battle and fair in discipline, she is one of the most open to changes in Clan tradition and willing to bend rules to accomplish her goal.

 **Vickers' Vipers** \- The off shoot of the 341st Assault Cluster comprised of Raylan, Clara and Cary. Named by and for Star Captain Cary Vickers, the three are using the unit name as a cover story as a mercenary company as they enter the Inner Sphere with Clan Ghost Bear in their attempt to make contact with the Kell Hounds and inform them of Khan Phelan Kell's plan to save at least part of Clan Wolf. The freedom granted by this act is at once uncomfortable and enlightening, but they strive to remain true to their Clan origins.

With help from the Wolf's Dragoons, they have a falsified profile on the MRCB and no one will question their credentials although their tech level, comprising of completely Clan tech, is more than suspicious for some.

 **Mu Galaxy (Frozen Stars)-** The Clan Ghost Bear Galaxy under the command of Galaxy Commander Sigrun Tseng, they have agreed to help the Clan Wolf in their plan to make for the Inner Sphere after being granted permission by the Ghost Bear Council. Although some oppose the decision and a few more believe Mu Galaxy has become dezgra from their participation, none in the Galaxy dare to question Galaxy Commander Tseng or her XO, Star Colonel Cole Woods.


	2. Chapter 1

_His eyes stung as the winter wind whipped at his face. Fresh snow fell gently around him and the distant howl of the wolves was almost drowned out by the wind. His boots crunched against the fresh packed snow and ice underneath. His lungs burned from the exertion, but he paid the pain no attention._

 _His mind was focused ahead, and far away. The distance seemed insurmountable, the task impossible, but he knew he had to continue. Somewhere behind him he could hear footsteps._

 _The light from the moon streamed through the canopy of intertwined branches high above. It cast unnatural shadows around. It looked, off though, unusual for Strana Mechty. For a moment, he turned his eyes upwards, trying to see the face of the moon but it was lost to him._

 _The momentary break in concentration cost him, his foot caught a root and he tumbled, falling face first into the cold snow. And, with that, the dim light of the moon was lost to him. Somewhere in the distance, there was a voice calling for him._

 **Chapter 1:**

 **Planet: Colmar**

 **Year: 3057**

Raylan woke with a start, the dim light of the desert sun burned through the cockpit of _Tala,_ his highly customized TBR-S _Timber Wolf_. The sun was setting, hanging low above the horizon. To his left, Mechwarrior Clara stood vigil in her custom _MDD-PRIME_ _Mad Dog._ Its chest bristled with missiles, waiting for the call to fire.

"You still with me, Raylan?" She asked over the secure commlink. He rubbed at his eyes and yawned slightly, stretching out in his command couch as best he could.

"Aff, Clara. Apologies." He said back after a moment.

"Neg. You did just come back from a raid only to turn around and be sent out on another long-range recon op. It is understandable you would be tired."

"Maybe so. Anyway, do we have anything on radar yet?"

"Neg, nothing but desert and sun." Clara let out a sigh, activating the video feed between their cockpits. "Honestly, I do not know what the Star Captain expects to find out here. I feel like the Falcons are holed up in their cities by now."

Even in her neurohelmet, Clara was striking. Bright eyes, high cheekbones and well-defined features were tied together by fire red hair. She looked like what many thought the Black Widow must have back in her heyday, and Raylan couldn't deny the resemblance.

"True, but Vera has never been wrong before." He checked the time on his Heads-Up Display and yawned again. "We will give it two more and then head back, quiaff?"

"Aff. If you can keep your eyes open that long, anyway." She said chuckling before closing the link. Raylan shook his head and laughed to himself.

The Refusal War, as it had started to be called, was already dragging on as the Wolves pushed their way into Jade Falcon territory. So far, they had been successful in undermining the Falcons at every turn, but not without a heavy toll.

It was part of the reason Raylan was so tired. He was working twice as hard to compensate for the injuries his unit had sustained in their first rumble with the Falcons. Not that he would be complaining any time soon, of course. It just meant more time in the cockpit for him in the long run.

The two Clan Wolf mechs sat nestled in a rock outcropping overlooking a small valley their Star Captain, Vera Radick, believed was being used to transport supplies back and forth between the Jade Falcon garrisons. At the moment, however, it seemed more like a tumbleweed highway.

"Raylan, I have movement. They just came within LRM range." Clara said suddenly, snapping Raylan out of his daze.

"Aff, I have them as well. Hold fire until we see if they're escorting anything."

"Aff, holding." She responded. Raylan stretched out his hands and readjusted himself to jump into the fray if, and when, the need arose. The moments ticked by for what seemed like an eternity, but finally the Falcons came within eyesight.

Sure enough, they had three cargo skids with them and all were loaded down heavily. Raylan targeted one and used his mechs computer to identify its contents more accurately. It registered as ammunition and this was all the prompting he needed to begin the assault.

"Alright, Clara. It is showtime! We will take the _Stormcrow_ first. Then, whichever of the birds decides to leap next will die. Afterwards, mop up the last defender and eliminate the convoy.

"Aff, Raylan. Targeting now. Good hunting!" She said as Raylan stomped on his mech's jump jets. The _Timber Wolf_ leapt from behind its cover and raced down the slope, overtaking its normal maximum speed by a good 15 kph. The distance between himself and the much lighter Falcon chassis ticked down incrementally and, as he entered his weapons effective range, a swarm of LRM's slammed into its hunched form.

Armor blew away in horrible splinters as the warheads tore into the _Stormcrow_ like hungry sharks. Raylan added his own, sending 24 Artemis controlled SRM's directly into the enemy's chest. A gaping hole sat were armor had once been, exposing the inner workings and skeleton to the arid desert. A quick stab of his trio of Heavy Medium Lasers and the endo steel structure evaporated, causing the mech to fold like a piece of paper.

The convoy, for their part, went into a panic and did their best to scatter but only succeeded in interfering with the movement of their mech escorts. The _Fire Moth_ decided it would try its hand next, probably hoping its superior speed could out maneuver Raylan. Instead, like the moth of its name, it was only led to the flame.

Another swarm of missiles descended from on high once again, blowing great chunks of the light 'mech away and scattering them amongst the rocky outcroppings of the valley. The _Fire Moth_ never really stood a chance, basically evaporating under the withering barrage.

Finally, the _Adder_ with its stout form and low profile ran in, firing its PPC's one after the other. The first went wide, slamming into the sand some distance away and turning it to glass. The second fared somewhat better, cutting an ugly black scar into _Tala's_ chest.

Raylan twisted his torso while triggering his jump jets, forcing the _Adder_ to try and readjust its aim during its charge. It paid for its mistake in kind as the full payload of Raylan's mech unleashed itself on the small Falcon. His missiles relentlessly tore holes in armor, sending it cascading in every direction like a horrific metal rain and then, with the frame torn apart, his lasers snuck between. The golden beams slashed into the _Adder_ 's inner workings, destroying the small mech's heart as its fusion reactors shielding fell apart.

The LRM's from Clara slammed down again like a merciless hammer, devastating the cargo skids, rupturing their cargo and turning them into grand fireballs that lit up the rapidly increasing darkness.

"Well, that was exciting." Raylan said, perhaps a little more bitterly than he meant.

"Well, we cannot always face enemies worthy of ourselves, Raylan." Clara said as she maneuvered her _Mad Dog_ down the slope to meet him. Raylan shrugged to himself in the cockpit.

"Fair enough. Do you think they got the message?"

"I would be surprised to see them use this path again but, just to be sure, perhaps you and I should backtrack and hit the source?" Clara said, and Raylan could practically see the wicked grin on her face.

"Perhaps you are correct, my friend." Raylan switched his commlink on to the secure channel for their unit. "Command this is Mechwarrior Raylan. Mechwarrior Clara and I have devastated the convoy and its three guards."

"Aff, Mechwarrior. Good work. Proceed to NAV Epsilon for dust off." The voice responded.

"Neg, Command. The two of us would like to hunt the convoy back to its source. Just to ensure the message is understood loud and clear by these thrice damned birds." There was a small chuckle from the other end.

"Aff, Mechwarrior. Dust off site is unchanged. Good luck and good hunting, Wolves."

"Aff, Command. Raylan out." He closed the link and pushed his mech into a trot. "Alright, Clara, the hunt is on. Form up and let us track these birds to their nest, quiaff?"

"Aff, Raylan. On your six." Clara responded, falling in behind Raylan and preparing to let her missiles fly.

The pair marched through the dry river valley, scanning the area carefully as the proceeded. It really wasn't there job to track down the Falcon base, but not only would it serve to further cut the enemy's supply line, the pair was also more than happy at the chance to spill some more blood on the sand.

The moon had risen high above them by the time the Falcon base came into view. It was a hardened headquarters, guarded by a quartet of laser turrets and a star of Falcon mechs.

"I will try and draw one of their attention, run in and destroy the turrets. I can then leap to the far side, and you can rain LRM's on them, quiaff?" Raylan said as the pair of Wolves watched the base from some distance away.

"Aff, Raylan. Plenty of ammo to go around. Just try not to scuff your paint too badly, quiaff?" Clara asked, chuckling.

"Aff. Moving out." Raylan throttled to full, twisting his torso to fire his lasers at a _Kit Fox_. Armor glowed in super-heated fury as it turned to face him. Raylan swung around in a circle, destroying each laser turret as he ran in the circle. They didn't serve as a problem, only one managed to tag him in the arm, leaving a blistering mark on his armor but no more.

Raylan spun and blasted the _Kit Fox_ again with his SRM's, sending its arm sailing away into the night sky like a horribly comet. He followed through on his plan, leaping over the base and leaving the _Kit Fox_ to suffer under Clara's withering assault of LRM's.

The blocky 'mech collapsed under itself, armor flying in every direction as the ammo in its body exploded in a grand fireball. Raylan turned and opened up the side torso of a _Mist Lynx_ , blowing the ammo as the fire ate away the 'mech like a ravenous animal. The pilot reacted quickly though, jettisoning the ammo even as it burned.

He led the light 'mech around the base into Clara's awaiting jaws. The missiles roared through the air slamming into the _Lynx_ and ground, sending up a cloud of dust and debris. When it settled, the 'mech lie on its back, sans one leg.

"I will finish it off, move on to that _Arctic Cheetah_." Clara said a moment before the missiles took flight, slamming into the beleaguered _Mist Lynx_ and eviscerating its chest until nothing but its inner working remained, scatter across the sands.

Raylan, spun and lined up the fast-moving medium chassis, aiming ahead before letting loose with everything he had. The devastating arsenal twisted the limb unnaturally at the knee, making the humanoid unit stumble, slamming headfirst into the ground. _Tala's_ heavy lasers stabbed into its exposed back, the metal bubbling and sliding to the ground as the endo steel below vaporized with it.

Raylan heard the LRM's fly again, the warheads blasting the arm off a _Nova_ as it attempted to approach him from behind. It still managed to fire, but by this time Raylan had turned to face them. The lasers cut into the armor around the missile rack that sat on _Tala_ 's shoulder. Metal fell away in a river of orange, and Raylan snarled. He let the warheads fly as retaliation, blasting the already thinned right side down to the internals.

Clara followed up in kind, the LRM's slamming the _Nova_ down to the ground as its gyro suffered a catastrophic malfunction literally tearing itself apart as it tried to correct the damage that it had received. The pilot attempted to pick themselves up again, but Raylan saw fit to end that with a burst of laser fire to its cockpit. He realized it was probably more than a little bit of overkill, but he didn't take kindly to anyone scarring _Tala_.

"Clara, take out the base. Just keep blasting it until it is nothing but a crater in the dirt. I will deal with the _Hellbringer_." Raylan said, swinging his weapons up as the target locked around the Falcon.

"Aff, Raylan." Clara said as she moved out from her cover and began assaulting the base. Raylan stomped on his jump jets, hopping and skipping around as the _Hellbringer_ attempted to draw first blood. It was futile, however, as Raylan sent another wave of missiles flying. Armor splintered and shattered. The armor of the heavy chassis cracked but held true and the Falcon returned the favor, its PPCs slamming into _Tala_ 's leg just below the hip.

Raylan snarled and hit his jump jets again, hopping to the side before firing his SRM's again. The warheads cut into the already damaged shoulder, the telltale blue sparks leaping from the joint as the actuator froze up. The 'mechs machine guns, as useless as they seemed began to plink armor off _Tala'_ s torso, leaving tiny impacts marks in her as they waited for their big guns to fire.

The _Hellbringer_ 's SRM blasted to life, but Raylan managed to hop aside in time for the warheads to sail harmlessly into the dirt. Just as he skidded to a full stop, preparing to take on his opponent again, the hardened HQ went up in a great eruption of flame and twisted metal. The visual alone was enough to give the Falcon pause; _Tala_ 's battle scarred dark red form silhouetted by a raging inferno of the base that it had once protected.

Raylan fired his lasers, severing one of the 'mech's limbs and denying it half its firepower. It raised its remaining PPC to retaliate, but a moment before it could, Clara's LRM rainstorm slammed into it from above. The 65-ton 'mech staggered back from the tremendous blast and Raylan gave it one last shove with his SRM's. Its blocky chest now torn wide open with ugly black smoke pouring from the wound, it hit the ground hard.

Clara's missiles finished it off, blowing the _Hellbringer_ apart where it lay. She moved next to Raylan, making her _Mad Dog_ "nod" slightly. Raylan did the same as they surveyed the scene.

"Well, I think we can call this base eliminated, quiaff?" Raylan asked jokingly as he double checked his armor readings.

"Aff, Raylan. That was much more exciting than I expected. Shall we make the journey home?" Clara asked rhetorically.

"Aff. Call in to command and let them know we are on our way." Raylan said, turning his _Timber Wolf_ towards the NAVpoint for dust off before setting the autopilot.

"All set, Raylan. They will be waiting for us when we get there. Suppose there is nothing to do now but make the walk, quiaff?" Clara said after returning to the frequency they shared.

"Aff. Might as well set your autopilot on. Does not seem like we will be seeing much else tonight." The video feed appeared in the corner of his HUD again, showing Clara's smiling, sweat streaked face.

"Well, besides a few lucky shots on you I would say that was a completely successful mission. I suppose that's why _Tala_ is built to take that kind of abuse, though."

"Aff. Nice work with the fire support, as well. _Rayne_ still lives up to her name." Raylan said wiping his brow with the back of his hand.

"Heh, nothing to it. Still have over half my ammo too. What a shame." She said mockingly.

"Well, we will just have to find you more targets next time, Clara. Good hunting tonight."

"You as well, Raylan." She paused, looking up into the sky. "Nice moon tonight. Perfect for a pair of stalking Wolves."

"Aff. If only it could be this way every night. It seems like we have been the clusters night stalkers since we arrived." Raylan said, looking at the moon as well.

"True. It seems our talents have finally been recognized." Raylan gave an ugly snort, trying not to laugh too much. A few years ago, the thought of launching night raids and convoy ambushes would've seemed completely out of the question. The thought would have been _dezgra_ from the get go.

The fight with the Inner Sphere had taught the Wolves many things, though. One of the most important being that the old rules of _zellbrigen_ could no longer apply if they were to survive. And now, with the dawn of the Refusal War against the Jade Falcons after the Grand Council had attempted to bring their farcical charge of genocide against former Khan Ulric Kerensky, the rewards of breaking tradition had become ever clearer.

Not everyone agreed with the break from tradition, of course. The Clans where a proud people and held their traditions sacred almost above all else. For the moment, however, none of that mattered. Clan Wolf; whether Crusader or Warden, traditionalist or not, they were all in this fight to the bitter end.

A small smile crept across Raylan's face as he and Clara grew near the Broadsword-class dropship _Castle_. It was an enjoyable turn of events to have everyone fighting for one common goal, and he could think of no better goal than crushing the Jade Falcons. Although for now, as he brought _Tala_ into her bay and shut her down, all he could think about was the sirens call of his bunk.

… **..**


	3. Chapter 2

… **..**

 _He lay face down in the snow, his hot breath melting a small hole in around his mouth as he tried to catch his breath. He could hear them nearing; their malice mirrored in their fervor._

 _He scrambled, clawing his way to his feet as he looked around for an escape, deciding there was only one way out. He leapt at a tree, swinging himself up to a higher branch and pressing himself against the trunk until he nearly blended in with the shadows._

 _Below him, the monsters raced by, oblivious in their drive to find and eliminate him that he was watching from above. One seemed to pause, finding his fall mark in the snow and began to look around._

 _His legs tensed as his fist clenched, preparing to launch himself from his perch and deliver a preemptive blow. It was something his teacher had taught him; eliminate your enemy in one crippling blow before they even know you're there and you will be the phantom that haunts their dreams._

 _As his body began to spring into motion, however, he felt a hand on his shoulder and it dragged him back into the shadows of the tree._

 **Chapter 2:**

 **Planet: Colmar**

The hand shook him awake, rousing him out of his sleep after what felt like only a few moments. Raylan rubbed his eyes meekly and glared up at the woman who had roused him. Her dark hair was tied up neatly but still managed to fall and tickle his nose.

"Come on, Mechwarrior. We have a job to do." She said, pulling him to the edge with one hand.

"Ugh…aff, Star Captain…aff. Give me a moment, please." He responded, throwing the cover off himself and stretching his back. The bones of his spine creaked and popped in a satisfying way and he stood. "What could possibly be so damned important to wake me after…4 hours of rest, Vera?"

"The whole star is mobilizing, Raylan. I would hate to leave you and _Tala_ behind so you can get your beauty rest. Follow." She motioned with her finger as Raylan pulled on his gear.

"That is great, but does not answer the question. What is the job?" Vera chuckled to herself.

"As impatient as ever, my dear sibkin. City raid. The Falcons have some sort of generator hooked to the grid of Brusqa. We never would have found it had it not been for a lucky pass over by our aerospace. They have a decent force waiting for visitors, though. So, we are going to hit them hard and from three sides."

"Hmmm. Sounds risky, Vera. The Falcons will likely discover what our ploy is. If we are not done by the time that happens, they will overrun us."

"Well, that's why we make sure we give Crevan the time he needs to blow the generator, and the grid, sky high."

"Just try not to scratch the paint on that _Stormcrow_ of yours. And save some for Kendra. I am sure she wants to get her fangs bloody one of these days, sibkin."

"Oh, and let you wrack up kills left, and right? I think not, Raylan. Nice try, though." They walked into the Mechbay of the _Castle_ finding the other three members of their star waiting for them. Vera clapped her hands together and smiled widely. "Alright, here is the plan. Clara, you are with me. I will need Rayne to provide fire support while I am running interference. We will be on the East side of the city. Raylan, you and _Tala_ will be alone on the west, but as the heaviest in our star I assume this will not be a problem, quineg?"

"Neg, Star Captain. More kills for me." Raylan said, smirking mischievously.

"Glad to hear it. Finally, Kendra and Crevan, with your fast movers, you will be the ones to hit the generator. We assume the Falcons will move to hit you once they figure out what we are up to, but by then we should have the majority of their forces either destroyed or damaged. You just make sure that generator is gone and then pull out. Either head towards me and Clara or Raylan, but once we have regrouped, we will move to NAVpoint Eta to dust off. Any questions?"

"Neg, Star Captain." All four mechwarriors responded in unison. Vera nodded and they made their way to their 'mechs.

Raylan began booting up _Tala,_ smiling despite feeling worn down and tired. Piloting was the greatest love in his life. Ever since he had survived his blooding, any moment he could spend in the cockpit he would.

Now, as _Tala_ hummed to life beneath him and the HUD lit up like stars he let out a satisfied sigh. The rest of his star fell into formation behind Vera in an arrowhead formation as they leapt from the _Castle_ on auxiliary jump packs. Even with the jets of plasma to soften the landing, it was bone jarring to say the least, but all five members began the trek to NAV Alpha where they would separate to attack their respective targets.

"Alright Raylan, same rule as always. I want that battleROM rolling. Otherwise, no confirmed kills and I win by default."

"Oh, I see. Send me off on my own so I have no one to back me up. That is what this arrangement is for, quineg?"

"Neg, of course not Raylan. I would never." Vera said, chuckling.

"Uh huh. Not that it matters, I would beat you with one arm blown off and no ammo."

"Oh ho ho, we will see."

"Please, both of you are going to lose to my missiles." Clara interrupted, leading to all three of them arguing amongst themselves while Kendra just sighed in resignation.

"Do you always have to do this before we go into battle as a star?" Crevan asked, mild irritation obvious in his tone.

"Aff, it is good to have some friendly competition. It will keep us on edge." Vera responded as they reached the NAVpoint and separated. "Alright, good luck and good hunting all. See you all on the other side."

Raylan made his way to the western outskirts of Brusqa, watching his radar as the red dots signifying enemy contacts blinked to life across the screen. A sneer crossed his lips, watching as multiple turned towards him quickly. He also heard Clara's LRM's far on the other side of the city. It was all he needed to know the fight was on.

Moments ticked by and Falcon after Falcon fell. It seemed as if most of the city garrison was comprised of light and medium chassis, nothing that could truly stand up to _Tala_.

"I am up to 4 kills, Raylan. You even managing to keep pace?"

"Aff, Vera and then some. 6 confirmed." He said laughing as she gasped mockingly.

"Seems almost too easy, quiaff?" Vera asked cautiously.

"Aff. I did not expect such a weak defense for such an important target." Raylan said, checking his radar again as he fell another _Kit Fox_.

"Mmmm, makes one wonder if they have a surprise waiting for us." Vera said

"Agreed. Either way, Kendra and Crevan should be moving against the target soon. If there is something, we will know soon."

"Aff. Hopefully soon. I believe Clara is running out of ammunition."

"Oh, ha ha. You two have never let up in me ever since we left the training sibko. Why is that? Was it not enough to wake me every morning with ice water?"

"Neg. We should have used a boot." Vera said laughing. The three had all been moved around between units and yet always somehow managed to find each other. It was a nice bit of familiarity in an otherwise chaotic life of battle and conflict.

"Any available units, this is command. We have mechs down at NAV Gamma! Trinary Assault is reporting enemy units in pursuit. It is vital they reach dust off. Assistance is requested!" The voice of command called over the units shared frequency. Raylan checked his NAVpoints, as he was sure the rest of his star was as well.

"Looks like you are closest Raylan." Vera said, after a moment of silence.

"Aff." Raylan switched over to the shared frequency. "Command this is Alpha Battle Point 3. I appear to be nearest to Trinary Assault's position."

"Aff, Mechwarrior Raylan. I am routing you to their position. Trinary Assault is damaged and on the run. Make best speed to this new NAVpoint, quiaff?"

"Aff. Moving now. I will switch to Trinary Assault's frequency to coordinate." He closed the link and switched back to Alpha Assault's frequency for a moment. "Alright, you four are on your own for now. Looks like I will be leaving our hunt for better prey."

"Very well, Raylan. Good luck. Come back safe, quiaff?" Vera said as he heard her _Stormcrow_ 's weapons cycle.

"Aff. Good hunting all." Raylan said, switching to Trinary Assault's frequency. "Trinary Assault this is Alpha Assault. I am en route to you as backup. Anything I should know?"

"Good to hear from you. Alpha Assault. My mech is badly damaged, and I am being pursued by a full star of Falcon Heavy and Assault mechs." It was a woman's voice, calm even despite what she was reporting.

"Would you prefer I group with you as escort or hit the Falcon's to keep them off your trail?"

"A little bit of both would work very well, if I am honest. You have a name, Alpha Assault? It would make this easier."

"Mechwarrior Raylan, ma'am."  
"Raylan, aff. I am Star Captain Cary Vickers. Do you remember me?" The Star Captain asked.

"Aff!" Raylan said after a moment. "I was in your star during Operation: REVIVAL."

"Aff, I remember your _Timber Wolf_. The blood red scrapper. I am glad to have someone I know as my back up."

'I am happy to be of service, Star Captain. Did any of your unit survive?"

"Neg. They Falcons came out of no where on our way out. They hit us faster than we could react. I alone escaped and, even then only barely. We managed to take down two of them, but the remaining three kept on us. And their leader…there is something off about them."

"Off?" Raylan asked as Cary's mech registered on his radar.

"I have never seen a Falcon strike with such vicious precision and fervor. They drove their star as if possessed."

"Aff, I will ensure they are focused elsewhere, Star Captain." He pulled away, taking up a position behind Cary's _Gargoyle_ as it made its way towards the dust-off site. He moved in reverse to try and keep any Falcon's that came at bay.

It wasn't long before the Falcon mechs came into view. Leading the way was a massive _Warhawk_ , its arms bristling with particle cannons. Flanking the assault mech on either side was a _Summoner_ and a _Hellbringer_. Raylan looked from each of the mechs in time, weighing his options.

In the end he knew it would be pointless trying to take them all on. The _Warhawk_ alone would shred him in moments. He knew, however, there was a way to turn this against them.

"Star Captain, hold position." Raylan said as he slowed his _Timber Wolf_ to a stop. "Do you trust me?"

"As you wish, Raylan." Cary slowed her mech as well. There was a pause. "And yes. I trust you."

Raylan nodded to himself in his cockpit and waited until the Falcons grew closer before turning his external speakers on.

"Attention Falcon units. I am Mechwarrior Raylan of Clan Wolf. I hereby offer you a Trial of Possession over the person and mech of Star Captain Cary Vickers. Who amongst you is brave enough to face me in combat."

The Falcons, obviously shocked by such a brazen declaration, stopped and stood silent for a moment before the _Warhawk_ stepped forward.

"I am Star Colonel Daniel Pryde of Clan Jade Falcon. I will face you little wolf. We will have no interference and no trickery. On your honor and the honor of our clans.

"Aff. May the best combatant win." He closed the link and targeted the massive blocky mech as it began to circle him like a hungry predator. Raylan knew he had a decent speed advantage, but with 13 and a half tons of armor it wouldn't make much of a difference. He checked his ammo counter for his SRM's, finding it over half depleted.

He thumbed the firing stub for _Tala_ 's lasers, the beams stabbing at the bigger mech with an impressive first show of power. Daniel blasted back with two of the _Warhawk_ 's four PPC's, the massive blast of energy slamming into his right knee.

The _Timber Wolf_ 's bird-like leg shuddered from the blow and Raylan grimaced. It suddenly dawned on him that every one of the Falcon's direct fire weapons were hooked into an advanced targeting system. The Star Colonel would be able to deliver lightning to any inch of his _Timber Wolf_ without fail.

Raylan planted _Tala's_ left foot, spinning his mech on the side to remove weight off the damaged right leg and throwing the momentum to one side so the next blast went wide. As the _Timber Wolf_ 's right leg hit the ground again as Raylan fired all four of his SRM's. 24 missiles raced forward, blasting ferro fibrous armor away in a chaotic rain of slivers.

He stomped his jump jets, feeling the heat blasting over him in waves as his battlemech leapt into the air. Daniel managed to catch _Tala_ 's hip with his PPC's, savaging the damaged right leg more even as he struggled to follow Raylan's arc.

Raylan landed behind the Falcon, spinning his torso and slapping the override for the heat limit. He took a breath and fired everything he had into the _Warhawk_ 's back, blowing a hole through the ferro fibrous armor and revealing the endo steel below.

The _Warhawk_ stumbled forward for a moment before Daniel finished his spin, the weapons on the massive battlemech moving up as the heat in the cockpit became nearly unbearable. It began to make Raylan a bit dizzy, but he refocused, shifting his focus to his heat meter as it fell slowly.

Raylan cursed as he saw the PPC's barrels begin to glow, the particle streams blasting his already savaged leg down to the internals and beyond. His hip actuator locked, the violent motion slamming him forward against his harness.

Raylan grit his teeth and slammed his feet onto the jump jets, the heat having dissipated enough he could safely proceed without fearing damage from the overwhelming heat. Daniel, presuming he knew Raylan's plan began to turn in hopes of catching him on the landing.

Instead, Raylan cut the jets early, dropping back to the ground and bracing his mech's right leg against the impact to not damage it further. Daniel had unintentionally left his rear open to attack in his attempt to cut Raylan down.

Raylan's lasers cut into the internal structure of the _Warhawk_ , melting endo steel skeleton in a horrible firestorm of melting metal. The right side of the assault mech sagged as its support collapsed and, before it could turn, Raylan let 12 SRM's fly. The warheads blew the hole wide open and detonated the LRM ammo stored within.

Most clan mech came equipped with CASE systems to prevent catastrophic ammo explosions that plagued Inner Sphere chassis. The system prevented explosions from spreading and tearing a mech apart, but that didn't make the effect of an internal ammo explosion any less devastating.

The _Warhawk_ shuddered as the gyro shielding went from damaged to destroyed and the 85-ton battlemech fell forward to the ground as it seized up. Raylan stepped forward and trained his mech's gun pods on the mech.

"Do you yield, Star Colonel?" He said over _Tala_ 's external speakers.

"Aff, Mechwarrior. I yield. You fight well for a Wolf." Daniel said.

"Then it is done. Star Captain Cary Vickers and her mech belong to me and me alone. You fought with honor, Star Colonel. So, go, and return to your Clan. I have no wish to spill the blood of such a fine warrior in the aftermath of battle." The Star Colonel chuckled to himself.

"I would prefer dying by the hand of such a fine warrior. It would be an honor, Mechwarrior Raylan of Clan Wolf."

"Star Captain?" Raylan asked, calling back to Cary to defer to her judgement as she had been attacked by his unit first.

"If he wishes to die by your hand, I see no reason to deny him." She said coldly.

Raylan felt a knot in his stomach. He had killed before, but never in the aftermath of a Trial. It felt wrong, for some reason, even knowing Star Colonel Daniel was a member of the rival Clan of his. Still, to deny an opponent the rite to die with honor would be a massive insult, so in the end, he pumped a massive number of kilojoules into the _Warhawk_ 's cockpit.

He limped _Tala_ away as the other Falcon mechs watched on, waiting to reclaim the body of their fallen comrade. He met up with Cary and the pair made their way slowly towards the dust-off site.

"Well, that was certainly an exciting display, Raylan. Your skill has certainly improved since the invasion." Cary said as their 'mechs' limped onwards.

"Thank you, Star Captain. I am glad I could impress."

"Aff, very impressive. Now, you should call in to command and let them know you are going to dust-off with me Raylan."

"Aff, of course." Raylan switched over to the unit's main frequency. "Command this is Alpha Battle Point 3, I am escorting Trinary Assault to dust-off. My _Timber Wolf_ has been badly damaged in conflict with a Falcon _Warhawk_ and is in need of repair and rearm. I am requesting permission to exit the mission area with Trinary Assault."

"How bad is the damage Alpha Battle?"

"My right leg is practically destroyed, my SRM's are nearly depleted and I am moving at a severely reduced spe- "The missile lock warning suddenly blared as Raylan craned his neck to try and see his attacker. "What in the name of Kerensky!?"

The _Summoner_ that had been with Star Colonel Daniel Pryde was marching towards them as missiles dumped towards them in a torrent.

"YOU WILL DIE WOLVES! I WILL DRAG YOU TO THE GROUND LIKE THE DOGS YOU ARE!" The pilot screamed in rage.

"Stravag Falcon bastard…" Raylan muttered. "Command, a member of the Falcons we faced has abandoned the rules of zellbrigen and is attacking. I will have to deal with them. Star Captain Cary Vickers will proceed to dust-off."

"Aff, Mechwarrior. A member of your unit is en route to reinforce. Hold out until they arrive. Command out."

"Aff command, Raylan out." He closed the link and called back to Cary "Alright, Star Captain, you are on your way out. I will hold our angry friend at bay until my back up arrives."

"Aff, good luck. And Raylan?" There was a pause. "Thank you. When you get home, come find me, quiaff?"

"Aff, Star Captain. Raylan out." He turned his limping _Timber Wolf_ to face the _Summoner_ and fired his lasers even as the LRM's slammed into him, sending armor flying like rain.

The beams tore armor away in great rivers but the Falcon returned in kind with a blast of autocannon fire that tore his mechs torso open. He cursed loudly in the solitude of his cockpit as his computer screamed warnings at him. The _Timber Wolf_ crumpled under the blast but brought itself back up as Raylan fired his lasers again.

The fight was the Falcon's, but they both knew that from the beginning. Raylan needed more time and was prepared as he blasted his jump jets to bring him as close as possible. As he descended, he fired his SRM's, the warheads peeling more armor away even as _Tala_ slammed into the ground.

It was a much harder landing than he intended, and the force nearly destroyed what remained of his right leg and the _Summoner_ brought its LBX up, intent to finish the job. Raylan tapped his jets again, bouncing from left to right in reverse, throwing the Falcon's aim off.

Suddenly, a rain of missiles came crashing down onto the _Summoner_. Armor flew away from the mech as it nearly toppled from the onslaught. Raylan turned and found Clara approaching with _Rayne_ 's missile launchers open and smoking.

"Greetings Raylan! It appears you will need some assistance." She called over the radio as another wave of missiles came flying.

"Clara! You have no idea how good it is to see you. Let us finish this Falcon _stravag_ quickly." Raylan said as he burned his lasers through the ribs of the Falcon"

"I will not forget this insult, Wolf _stravags!_ Pray our paths never cross again!" The Falcon pilot said before rocketing backwards on their jump jets to escape the onslaught of firepower.

"Would you like me to maintain fire, Raylan?" Clara asked as she grew closer, holding her lock on the Falcon mech.

"Neg, Clara. Let the bird fly away with clipped wings. No sense wasting ammunition."

"Aff. Come, let us return to the _Castle_." Clara said as she turned her _Mad Dog_ to head towards Alpha Battle's original dust-off site.

"Did you all finish our original objective?" There was a sigh and a moment of silence.

"Aff, Raylan. Unfortunately, the Falcons had a Star of _literally_ nothing but _Summoner_ 's in the area that descended on us not to long after Crevan and Kendra hit the generator. They...they did not survive the onslaught."

"Damn…" There was silence between them. It was an honor to die for your Clan, of course, and he was happy Kendra and Crevan had been granted the chance to do so. The Refusal War, however, seemed to be chewing through units and mechwarriors faster than anything before.

"At least they died with honor." Clara offered, remorse clear in her voice.

"Aff. At least there is that. They served with honor." Raylan said as they approached Vera's waiting _Stormcrow_.

"Welcome back, Raylan. Did your…excursion go well?" She asked, clearly irritated.

"As well as it could against the Falcons. Although one proved honorable, his compatriot was…far less so."

"Glad to hear it. Our mission went over well enough without you. I am sure Clara informed you of Kendra and Crevan?"

"Aff, Vera."

"Wonderful. Perhaps if we had our full star we could have stood a better chance against the Falcons." She hissed.

"Put your fangs away, Vera. You know I was under orders from Command."

"I truly hope whatever you helped Trinary Assault with was worth it." She grumbled, finally turning away as the three made their way to the awaiting dropship to debrief and recover.

… **.**

 _Authors Notes!_

 _Wow, to be honest I am so happy to see as many people check this out as there have been! Thank you to all of you who have taken the time!_

 _SO, I will do my best to post a chapter at least every two weeks, possibly more if I'm feeling inspired or anything._

 _I know the first two chapters have been very action-y but I do plan on slowing things down to allow character growth and such. I know Battletech isn't all mech battles and such._

 _Also, expect things to move away from the games canon and even more so from the novel canon. I hope I can at least maintain quality and keep things entertaining! Anyhow, thanks again! See you all soon!_


	4. Chapter 3

… **.**

 _She pressed her fingers to her lips, her crystal blue eyes glistening with deadly intent. Below them, the monster grew near. He could see the glint of the weapon in their hand. There was a moment when the world stood still; the snow falling in the air held in the air as the sound of the two wolves breathing seemed to be the only sound._

 _The girl nodded, releasing her grip on his shoulder as they leapt down descending out of the shadows and slamming the monster into the stark white ground. He was gone the moment his head connected but they held fast a moment longer._

 _The wolf shape of the creature's head cracked and gave way, revealing the face below but the two paid no attention. They needed to move and broke into a sprint as the world came back into focus and the sounds of the forest returned._

 _In the distance, far away, there was a scream that echoed through the trees and drove them further. The lights of their destination blinked far in the distance just as the stars did far above them. He wondered, just for the briefest moment, what awaited them so far away._

… **.**

 **Chapter 3:**

 **Dropship** _ **Castle**_

 **Atmosphere of Colmar**

The shuddering of the _Castle_ barely registered with Raylan as he stripped his cooling vest off and placed it on the bench. Looking up, _Tala_ 's scarred and beaten form. He sighed, rubbing at his increasingly long white hair. He would have to get it cut shortly if he wanted to stay in uniform.

Even so, he was fighting trim, weighing barely over 160 pounds and almost all muscle from years of relentless training as well as the Clan's rigorous genetics program. His codex had numerous names familiar to the other members of Clan Wolf, stretching all the way back to Alicia Radick and Tamara Vickers.

From across the bay he could hear Vera screaming obscenities at two members of the tech caste and he got up with a sigh. She was fuming, as he had expected, but was quickly growing unreasonable.

He caught her by the wrist just as she raised her hand to strike one of the techs.

"That is enough, Vera." He hissed at her, his bright green eyes fixing her coldly. "There is no need to vent your anger on the lower caste."

"We lost two, Raylan! TWO! That does NOT happen unless some _stravag_ has not been checking the equipment and repairing it up to requirements." She looked past Raylan at the techs with malicious intent.

"They are doing the best they can, Vera. We are all stretched thin right now." Vera snapped her wrist out of Raylan's hand, glaring at him fiercely.

"We should not have separated. We could have done something to save Kendra and Crevan."

"Neg, Vera, we could not." He sighed heavily. "Clara would be useless inside the city, you could not fend off a star of Falcon _Summoner_ 's in your _Storm Crow_ and I would have ended up savaged beyond recognition."

" _We_ could have done it. The three of us. Instead you were sent to wander off and save Star Captain Vickers from whatever foolishness she had gotten in herself in." Vera was practically frothing at the mouth.

" _Your anger is misplaced, Vera."_ Raylan said, moving closer to his sibkin. " _And all it is doing is disgracing the legacy Kendra and Crevan left behind. They died for the Clan and there is no greater honor."_

"You know nothing, Raylan. You are just as blind as anyone else if you think the Clan's way of life is the end all be all." She pushed away from him, frowning.

"We are warriors, Vera. I would gladly die to further the goal of the Clan." Raylan fired back, folding his arms over his chest.

"Then you are an utter fool. I will not die for something I cannot see, regardless of who gives the order." And without another word, she stalked off into the bowels of the _Castle_. Raylan hoped she would calm down after some time alone, but he doubted it.

He had known Vera for as long as they had existed and one thing that never faded was her temper. Even after she had earned her rank and bloodname, Vera was prone to fits of uncontrollable rage when things didn't go as planned or, more importantly to her, her way.

"Are you two alright?" Raylan said, turning to the techs who had been the unfortunate victims of Vera's wrath.

"Aff, Mechwarrior. Thank you for stepping in on our behalf." One responded cautiously.

"Think nothing of it. Now return to your posts and ensure my kindness was not misplaced." They nodded and raced off as Raylan wandered towards his bunk room.

The entirety of the 341st was heading to the Wolves next target, the arctic world of Baker 3. There, the 305th Assault Cluster waited for them, but Raylan was sure that Khan Natasha Kerensky was preparing some devious scheme to route their foe with ease.

Or, at least, that was the hope. First, however, the _Castle_ was on its way to rendezvous with the _Black Prince_ , a _Star Lord_ class Jumpship waiting to take the 341st away. The two day burn up to the jumpship seemed to pass in a flash, although it did nothing to quell Vera's wrath. And given the tight compartments of the _Leopard_ -class dropship it wasn't a comfortable journey for anyone.

As they drew near the _Black Prince_ it truly dawned on Raylan how badly depleted their unit was becoming. The six docking collars held only 4 dropships, including the _Castle_ , and most of those were damaged. He could only imagine how the actual forces were.

Once the _Castle_ had docked, the 4 Mechwarriors made their way to the main meeting hall. Waiting for them was Star Captain Lee Kerensky and Star Colonel Ramon Sender. Both looked on with impassivity as the survivors entered and saluted.

"At ease, Mechwarriors. And welcome home. You all performed admirably, however, despite your loses." The Star Colonel said, motioning for Star Captains Vera and Cary to step forward. "First, Star Captain Raddick, you did numerous raids against the Falcons and did irreparable damage to their forces. Well done."

"Aff, Star Colonel. Thank you." Vera said, barely hiding the bitterness in her voice.

"And you, Star Captain Vickers, I presume you have something to show for the loss of your star?"

" _I certainly hope so…"_ Raylan heard Vera mutter to herself.

"Aff, Star Colonel." Star Captain Vickers pulled a battleROM out of her breast pocket and placed it into the holotable in the center of the hall. The lights dimmed automatically as the holotable began to display the contents on the battleROM.

The center of the room became covered in stars and planets before a red line appeared between the planet Morges and Arc Royal IV in the Inner Sphere. There the logo of a familiar mercenary command sprung up and spun in place.

" _Kell Hounds…"_ Raylan heard Vera mutter under her breath. The map continued to show troop movements and it suddenly dawned on Raylan that the Wolves were converging on Morges only to meet the Hounds and then…

"Excuse me, Star Colonel." Raylan said as the revelation hit him like an autocannon.

"Aff, Mechwarrior?" The man responded with a nod of his head.

"Is this showing the Wolves…advancing into the Inner Sphere?"

"Not exactly." Ramon looked to Star Captain Lee Kerensky, who nodded in silent agreement. "What I am about to say does not leave this room. This was originally going to be the task of Cary's star, but…well, the situation has changed, obviously."

He paused, zooming in on a very small section of the star chart and looked at them intensely.

"Ulric Kerensky believes the outcome of this…Refusal War will not be in favor of the Wolves. He has no doubt we will fight tooth and nail to the end, but our enemy is tenacious. He holds no doubt they will stop at nothing to see him dead. As such, he has given saKhan Phelan Ward the task of finding us, and our legacy, a home within the Inner Sphere."

" _What?_ " Vera said, fury blazing in her eyes.

"However, we will need the help of Phelan's former unit. Of his _father's_ unit. Therefore…" Ramon said, paying the outburst from Vera no heed. "…Cary's star hit a Falcon base and procured more accurate star charts of their occupation zone as well as the nearby Inner Sphere planets. Now, we need to get this information to the Kell Hounds so they can meet us on Morges."

"So, we are to flee to the Inner Sphere, tails between our legs?" Vera said, her agitation obvious and grating in the room. The Star Colonel turned his glare to her.

"No, Star Captain, we are surviving. If the Warden way is to survive, we cannot allow ourselves and our legacy to be absorbed by the Falcons."

"Perhaps if we had been _more_ aggressive, we never would have found ourselves in this position." Vera said, crossing her arms over her chest in defiance.

"Enough, Star Captain. You do not have to like the plan, but it is in motion. And like it or not, you will be a part of it or you will be transferred." There was a moment of silence before she met Ramon's eyes solidly.

"Then transfer me. I refuse to be part of such a _dezgra_ operation. If you wish to behave like _surrats_ , be my guest."

"Very well. You are dismissed. Report to the meeting hall for reassignment, _Mechwarrior_." Ramon held out the last word for emphasis. The meaning was clear, and Vera felt the sting but said nothing as she turned and left, shooting Raylan and Clara another glare before exiting.

"Raylan, you are now acting commander of what remains of Alpha Battle. Congratulations, Star Captain." Star Colonel Sender said matter of factly.

"Thank you, Star Colonel. I will make the Clan proud." Raylan said, suppressing a desire to smile.

"I hope so. Now, back to the matter at hand. The remnants of Alpha Battle and Star Captain Vickers will form one unit for a specific task. We must get this information to the Kell Hounds but moving any large group of forces will draw attention from both the Falcons and the Inner Sphere. The last thing we need is our potential new neighbors being on edge by our mere arrival."

"As such, Star Captain Raylan and Mechwarrior Clara, you are now under command of Star Captain Vickers. This mission is completely off the record, and you must not divulge the information to anyone. The three of you will move along this path…" Star Captain Lee Kerensky said, showing a small path that circumvented the main Wolf attack force, landing on the Pentagon Worlds before jumping to Arc Royal IV. "…contact the Kell Hounds, provide them with this information and then return with them to reinforce us on Morges."

"Aff, Star Captain. Will we have any support?" Cary asked as she reviewed the plan.

"Neg, you will have no contact with anyone from Clan Wolf until you return to us with the Hounds or if you must due to imminent mission failure you have to use the emergency radio channel. If that occurs, we will try to contact the hounds through other means."

"And how will we reach the Inner Sphere in a timely manner?" Clara asked, speaking for the first time in the meeting.

"A set of jumpships has been set for you courtesy of Clan Ghost Bear. They have secretly allied themselves to the Wolf's cause and will see our goal met. However, they can not be seen cooperating or risk retaliation from the others, so if you are discovered, they will attack as if you were invaders."

"Aff, we understand. Will we be able to hold onto our 'mechs?" Raylan asked, feeling the weight of the operation on his shoulders as the briefing went on.

"Aff, although you will be on your own if repairs are needed until you reach the Pentagon Worlds. You will of course have some tech caste members, but parts will not last." Raylan nodded, relieved he would hold onto _Tala_ despite the strange circumstances.

"Very well. Star Captain Vickers, would you please inform them of the remaining details? The Star Colonel and I have other matters to attend to."

"Aff, Star Captain Sender. I will take care of it." Cary responded, brushing her blonde hair behind her ear.

"Excellent. Good luck to you all." The two officers exited, and the three remaining Wolves let out a collective sigh.

Cary spent the next few minutes going over the finer details of the plan and the roles they would play. Raylan had to admit that he wasn't completely comfortable with the tactics being used or the idea of fleeing to the Inner Sphere, but if it was what Khan Natasha and former Khan Ulric Kerensky felt was the best move of the clan he would be happy to step out of his comfort zone.

Clara exited to go and check on the repairs to her _Mad Dog_. Raylan was going to join her, eager to see _Tala_ restored to her full glory again, but Cary stopped him.

"Apologies, Raylan, I know I have been hard to find the past few days. Especially after telling you to come find me."

"No need for apologies, Star Captain. You have been busy, obviously." She chuckled.

"Aff, as you now can see." Cary leaned back on a table, folding her arms over her chest. Her body was lean, only softened by feminine curves that were hugged by her dress uniform. Her blonde hair was long, falling just past her shoulders loosely and her brilliant blue eyes glistened mischievously.

"Looks like I'll still be serving under you, despite my promotion." Raylan said, laughing.

"I hope you do not mind serving under me." Cary said, flashing her eyes at him. Raylan smiled at her, rolling his eyes.

"Of course not. In fact, I feel like it will be quite an eye opening." She smiled warmly and stood up, stretching. "Well, I am starving. Care to join me in the mess hall?"

"Sure, I have not eaten yet either." Raylan said chuckling. The pair of Star Captains moved out and wandered through the halls of the _Black Prince_. It would be a long journey ahead, full of unknowns. So for now, Raylan decided he would enjoy the calm monotony of the day.


	5. Chapter 4

… **..**

 _The pair moved carefully though the night, the eerie moon light casting dark shadows across their path and over their faces. He was exhausted, the pain of his fall catching up to him as they moved slowly towards their goal._

 _The silent night air was overcome by the roar of water as they neared a river and he suddenly realized how thirsty he was. It was another distraction, another place is mind couldn't afford to drift to but looking at his new ally, she was showing the same sign._

 _He couldn't remember how long they had been off the reservation, so to speak, but it was quickly growing apparent they were running out of time. She took a step towards the water and he stopped her with a strong arm across her waist, drawing her into the shadows beneath the trees._

 _It was his turn to make her see before she made a rash mistake. He pointed out, spying motion in the underbrush as another creature emerged. The titan paused, seeming to sniff the air and looked around. He motioned for them to moved downstream, quietly, and with some reservation, they left the river behind to continue their quest._

… **..**

 **Chapter 4:**

 **Jumpship** _ **Black Prince**_

 **Jade Falcon Incursion Space**

 **En Route to Baker 3**

The jump seemed to crush his body from three dimensions down to two and then to one and finally vanishing all together as the universe compressed around the _Black Prince_ as it tore through space and time.

His stomach lurched for a moment as the universe came back into normal dimensions and he breathed out to calm himself. Below them, Baker 3 sat with its icy visage staring back at them. Raylan felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to find Clara next to him.

She shot him a smile and looked at the planet as well.

"Well, it certainly is an ice ball. Almost glad we will not be seeing it up close." Clara said. Raylan nodded, knowing that when the main force was dropping towards the planet, they would be making best speed to the hidden jumpship at a local pirate jump point waiting for them.

"Well, we should head to the ship. The _Black Prince_ will not want to wait for long." She nodded, and the pair walked the steel halls of the jumpship. The entirety of the 341st was mobilizing again, so they practically went unnoticed as they turned abruptly and made their way into the airlock.

After entering the _Sandhurst_ , one of the units _Union_ class dropships. It would need to make a quick return after dropping the 3 mechwarriors, their techs and their mechs. The _Great Bear_ , a heavy transport headed for the Rasalhague Republic as the member of Ghost Bear made their own slow exodus into the Inner Sphere. It served well as a cover for the three Wolves, although most of the Ghost Bears were unaware of their coming guests.

The two-day trek went uneventfully, with the _Sandhurst_ avoiding the Falcon's easily. The techs unloaded and the mechwarriors marched their massive machines into the cargo bay, shutting them down as a small crowd of Ghost Bear techs and mechwarriors gathered around them.

Raylan reached the ground first and looked at the crowd gathered. Most of the Bear warriors gave him slight nods in acknowledgements while the techs wanted to climb across Tala and see how the Wolf Clan techs maintained battlemechs and technology. They backed off quickly and quietly as a booming voice echoed in the cavernous cargo bay.

"ENOUGH! Back to your stations. Let out guests breath." The man was massive, more like a mountain than anything. Raylan swore he must have been an Elemental as he approached. Tattoos covered his arms and chest and the cold eyes locked on Raylan.

He stood almost a foot and a half above Raylan and must've weighed at least 250 pounds of nothing but muscle. Not someone you'd like to run into unprepared.

"Welcome to the _Great Bear_. I am Star Colonel Cole Woods of Clan Ghost Bear." He extended his massive hand to Raylan who shook it, wincing almost unperceptively under the pressure.

"Star Captain Raylan of Clan Wolf. Thank you for having us." He responded as Cary made her way next to them.

"Then this must be your groups leader. Star Captain Vickers, quiaff?" He asked, extending his hand to her as well. She took it and nodded.

"Aff, Star Colonel. Are we correct in assuming that we are ready to move immediately?"

"Aff, Galaxy Commander Tseng would like to speak with you, however, and I would not keep her waiting."

"Of course, thank you. Clara, make sure to get that leg looked at. I did not like the way your _Mad Dog_ 's knee was locking up."  
"Aff, ma'am. It will be done." Clara said, turning back to the techs and shouting orders. Raylan turned back to Cole who hadn't moved an inch.

"You have not been a Star Captain long, have you Raylan?" He asked, his voice quiet but dangerous.

"Neg, only a week." Raylan replied honestly and Cole nodded.

"You will grow into it, I am sure. Do you have any questions? I have been instructed to answer any and all."

"Just one. After we reach the Rasalhague Republic, how will we reach Arc Royal? If I understand correctly, Clan Ghost Bear can not leave the Republic."

"That is correct." Cole said, motioning for Raylan to follow him. "Once we reach the Republic, you will be attached to a different mercenary company. I assume you have been told your cover story?"

"Aff, Vickers' Vipers. Mercenary Company returning from periphery duty." Raylan responded.

"Exactly. The mercenary company you will be attached to has no idea you are Clan and will be informed that you lost your transport in a pirate raid. After that, it will be up to you three to remain in character until you reach your goal."

Raylan nodded. The plan made sense, and it would be easy enough to pull off as long as nothing went wrong. He did have some concern over the fact that all their mechs and weapons were Clan but decided it would be easy enough to say it was lucky salvage. He had seen enough mercenaries and knew, if it came to it, they could just buy their silence.

"If there is nothing else, I will show you and your compatriot to your cabins." Cole said as Clara joined them again.

"Will we have to worry about the other Ghost Bear's at all? No offense intended, Star Colonel, but we are in unfamiliar territory." Clara asked as they moved to the door of the bay.

"Neg. All in Mu Galaxy will follow Galaxy Commander Tseng's orders. And if they do decide to step out of line, either they will have to either deal with me, or worse, deal with her." Cole responded as they made their way through the halls of the massive warship.

Raylan noticed immediately the difference between the two clans. Clan Wolf was by no means traditionalist, but they did heavily believe in their genetics problem. Although the Ghost Bear's also held their genetics to great regard, they also encouraged more "natural" familial structures. As such, he saw many pairs of warriors walking and working together throughout the ship.

After Cole directed them to their quarters, Raylan and Clara tossed their rucksacks onto their beds and sat down.

"Well, this is different then I expected." Clara said quietly. "I half expected to have to fight all the way to the Inner Sphere."

"You sound disappointed." Raylan said, a small smile crossing his face.

"Well, it will be quite the boring trip if nothing happens for the length of it." She responded, smirking back at him.

"They have simulators if you really feel the itch for battle. Otherwise, physical training is always an option."

"Oh yea, I always want to go lift weights. If you want to look like the Star Colonel, be my guest." She said smiling before adding with a wider smile. "Sir."

Raylan smiled and shook his head before pulling out a clean outfit and personal hygiene items. If they had the time, he might as well get himself back into standards.

"I would not do that. We are supposed to be inner sphere mercenaries now. Most I know have long hair and beards." Clara said, pausing for a second as she remembered the word. "Rockstars, I think they are called. That is what they wish to look like."

"I suppose you are right." Raylan said with a sigh, rubbing at the growing stubble that was increasingly itchy.

Half an hour later, Cary arrived, her face a mask that told the others nothing of how the meeting with Galaxy Commander Tseng went. She sat down on the bed with a sigh before flopping backwards and smiling.

"Well, at least the beds are much more comfortable here than on the _Black Prince_." She said stretching her body out. "The Galaxy Commander is…eccentric, but friendly. I do not doubt we will make it to the sphere with ease.

"Eccentric?" Clara asked as she turned and looked at Cary with confusion.

"She is….not much for tradition. Uses contractions freely. Also is quite a prolific painter. I suppose the Bears have their tradition of "Great Works" that must be upheld." Raylan chuckled to himself as Cary finished.

"Prolific? Does that mean poor quality?" he asked

"Surprisingly no. They are…quite beautiful." She said, smiling at the memories to them.

"So, what do we do now? Just sit around and wait for the announcement we have arrived?" Clara asked, already fidgeting at the thought of the impending tedium.

"Neg, I want you to stay sharp and fighting trim. Hit the simulators, hit the gym. Get acclimated with the _Great Bear_. I want you to be able to navigate on your own within the week. Star Colonel Woods will not always be able to act as guide for us. And although the Galaxy Commander assures me the members of her unit will obey her without question, I would rather not push our luck." She paused. "I also want you two to start getting used to Spheroid speech. Lose the formality, and get use to contraction. If we're going to pull this off, those mercs we travel with need to believe we're the real deal."

"Aff…yes ma'am." Clara said, quickly correcting herself. Raylan didn't like the sound of the contractions. It was like nails on chalkboards after so many years of proper, formal speech but agreed it was best to get used to it now so it was _almost_ natural once they reached the Inner Sphere.

"Any idea on the unit we'll be moving with once we're there?" Raylan said, grimacing with each word, much to Clara's amusement.

"Not yet. Tseng has a few potentials that should be in the area but we won't know for sure until we're there." Cary said, barely hiding her own amusement at Raylan's clear discomfort.

Raylan nodded and grabbed his clean outfit before heading out.

"Well, I will start my recon of the ship by finding the shower. I guess we'll all meet up in the mess hall later?"

"Right, sounds good. Good luck, Raylan." Cary said as the door slid shut behind Raylan and he made his way through the labyrinthian halls of the _Great Bear_ , trying to do his best to memorize the rooms and pathways. He could only hope that it would get easier as the trip went on.

… **..**

 _A/N-Phew, it has been AWHILE. anyway, im glad to be back again and apologize for such a long delay. Hopefully i'll be back on track now. So, obviously things are starting to move away from canon, to the point all of Mu Galaxy of Clan Ghost Bear is something I made up. Again, I will try and stay close to canon in the sense of tech and mechs available but I have to make some changes to the mech2 storyline otherwise it would be one helluva long boring slugfest. I also am trying to make characters more defined after some great criticism from a friend, so hey look forward to that! thanks!_


	6. Chapter 5

… **.**

 _They walked through the brush carefully, cautious not to break a twig or crunch a leaf beneath their boots. All around them, the forest matched them as all sound dropped away. Both stopped in their tracks and waited. Somewhere behind them, a stick snapped and they dropped low._

 _The first explosion turned a tree trunk next to them into splinters and it was all the prompting they needed to take off running. They tore through underbrush like paper, throwing branches aside as they raced forward. Explosions tore the air around them, more trees burst and splinters rained down on them but nothing could stop their rush._

 _He burst through the brush a second after she did and she stopped his momentum with an outstretched arm. Below them, the river turned into a raging, bubbling froth from the impact of the waterfall. He growled and looked to her, getting only a shrug in response._

 _The shapes began to emerge from the trees, barrels leveled and ready. Both looked at their pursuers and then to each other, giving a nod and leaping over the edge. Air slapped his skin, stinging cold as the water loomed closer and closer in his view. With a crack and a sting, the water engulfed him and he embraced the freezing dark._

…

 **Chapter 5:**

 **Warship** _ **Great Bear**_

 **Clan Space, Beyond the Periphery**

 **Near the border of "The Rift"**

Raylan sat up in bed with a start, sweat pouring off his skin as he gasped for breath. It had been two weeks since they arrived on the _Great Bear_ and they had made impressive progress towards their goal. The Ghost Bears of Mu Galaxy had been more than accommodating, some even growing close to what the Wolves would call friends.

He cupped his face in his hands and caught his breath before swinging off the bed and standing. He felt exhausted, even after having slept a good 8 hours.

"You look like you have seen a ghost, Star Captain." The gruff voice of Star Colonel Woods said from the doorway.

"Ne-no, Star Colonel. Just a nightmare." He responded. Cole snorted a laugh.

"More than that I think. Warriors are not haunted by dreams. How long?"

"A month, maybe longer." Raylan said, deciding he didn't want to try and lie to the Star Colonel. Cole nodded and motion with his hand for Raylan to follow.

"I will take you to someone who may be able to help." Cole said as they moved through the halls.

"Help with…dreams?" Raylan asked incredulously.

"See if they are more than dreams." Cole said, remaining cryptic as ever.

The pair moved with purpose, Cole leading Raylan through the halls to one of the exercise rooms on the warship. There, a woman was attacking a punching bag with a rapid flurry of blows.

"Raylan, this is Marissa Bear. Formerly of Clan Nova Cat and my former bondswoman. She is a member of my star."

"Greetings, Marissa." Raylan said, bowing his head slightly

"Greetings, Raylan." She responded, turning to Cole. "What is it you want me to do with this Raylan of the Wolves? "

"He has been having dreams." Cole said as she cocked an eyebrow in response. "Nightmares, the type that _you_ specialize in."

"Ah, I see." She wiped herself off with a towel and motioned for Raylan to sit as she did so in front of them. "We will need to prepare. You must do as I say, when I say it. Is that clear?"

"Af-yes… _dammit_." Raylan muttered, still not used to the Sphereoid speech and finding it abrasive.

"Very well. First, we will need to clear your mind. You will follow me, and I will show you the way. This will not be an easy thing and you may find it offensive, but I do not care."

"I understand." Raylan said calmly, although he was truly lost as to what she meant.

"We will see, Raylan of the Wolves. Firstly, you will need to fast. And I will take you to my quarters so we can meditate in peace."

And so Marissa and Raylan's friendship began, the days going by one after the other as she coached him in finding what she referred to as "inner peace". Marissa claimed this was necessary for the next step, and Raylan did his best to meet her standards.

Finally, after another jump forward, they ended up within Inner Sphere space, albeit far in the periphery and Marissa told Raylan she believed he was ready. She brought him to her quarters again, the room darkened except for flickering candles. She sat on one side of the table, that held a large basin. She lit the basins contents on fire and looked at Raylan through the flames.

"Have you brought the offering, Raylan of the Wolves?" She asked, her voice seemingly amplified many times over. Raylan nodded and removed a small pouch that held the spoils that he had taken so many years ago on a world long forgotten. He held the Wolf emblazoned blade aloft for a moment before tossing it into the fire. "Good, now you must stare into the flame. This vision is for you and only you."

Raylan stared into the light, his eyes reflecting the blazing orange and he felt is body and mind begin to drift. At once he felt heavy, as if he would fall through the floor and weightless as if he would drift away into the stars.

He fell away and let the world of "dreams" consume him completely. Once more the water raced up to meet him and with a slap it hit him hard. Cold washed over his body and he wanted to scream but he wouldn't allow himself to as he clawed his way to the surface, his head bursting through as the torrent carried him down and away.

Raylan pulled himself up onto the shore, coughing and sputtering before flopping onto his back. He stared upwards into the sky and found the "night" was actually a complete eclipse. The sun, now blocked by the moon, was nothing more than a blood red halo. He heard a noise, something between a scream and a whimper came from his left and Raylan dragged himself to his feet.

Making his way unsteadily forward, he stumbled into another clearing on the river bank and found his companion lying sprawled out on the ground unnaturally. Her eyes were wide, staring up into the bleak nothingness and a small trickle of blood came from her mouth. He blinked and instead of the woman, there now lie a red wolf, its neck snapped.

He looked down and found a wolf's paw rather than his foot. His reflection confirmed this change, his visage now a pure white wolf. The sound of a branch snapping drew his attention and a massive black wolf stepped forward, for some reason the light playing off its fur to make it an almost iridescent green.

The black-green wolf snarled viciously, circling Raylan slowly as he matched it step for step. Their eyes locked and the world stood still for a moment. Then, the wolf opposite leapt forward, teeth gnashing and Raylan blinked.

And then, he was back in the room with Marissa. She smiled at him, seeing something in his face and nodded.

"I…I don't understand. That was the dream, the nightmare but I've never seen that far. Why the wolves? Why the eclipse?" Raylan asked, almost begging Marissa for an answer.

"I can not say, Raylan. Visions are sometimes clearer than crystal and sometimes darker and as unclear as the abyss." She took a moment "You however, I have to assume this is a guide. A warning. Your enemy is not necessarily outside, but from within. But I have no idea really. It could mean any number of things."

She extinguished the fire and stood, extending a hand to Raylan and pulling him up as well.

"You did well, Raylan of the Wolves. For an outsider and a first time user of the Rites of Vision, that was a more dynamic result than I could ever expected. I am impressed."

"Thank you. I couldn't have done it without your guidance, Marissa." The Sphereoid speech was coming to him easier now.

"It was no problem. I can only help that it helps in some small way and you can move on without feeling haunted. You are a warrior, Raylan. And a warrior should fear nothing." He nodded and began to leave but felt her hand on his shoulder. "Come, Raylan of the Wolves. You have fasted for nearly a week. Tonight, we will feast."

The pair headed to the mess hall and Raylan had to admit he felt as if a weight had been lifted from his mind. Even if he couldn't discern the meaning of the dream yet, just having the idea it was a warning filled him with relief.

As they sat, Star Colonel Cole Woods joined them and gave each a wry smile.

"I take it all went well then, Marissa?" He asked and Marissa nodded.

"He took the process quite well, Star Colonel. Even if his vision was more than a little unclear."

"I am glad to hear it. And you, Raylan, you look much better."  
"Yes, Star Colonel. I feel much better as well." Raylan said to which Cole nodded

"Good. Then after we finish our meal, I would have you follow me to one of the exercise rooms. I have been curious to see what you are made of, Star Captain."

"It would be my pleasure, Star Colonel Woods." Raylan said with a wide grin, feeling the excitement of combat creeping into his bones. He was ready to fight, but first he needed to eat and refuel. The excitement overwhelmed him and he scarfed down the food, much to Cole and Marissa's amusement.

Then he was ready and began flexing his knuckles to prepare himself for what he assumed would be the fight of his life.

… **.**


	7. Chapter 6

… **.**

 _The wolf paced around its kill, the light dancing off its fur in incandescent beams. In the light, he could see it wasn't so much black as it was grey. Its fur mottled, covered in scabs and sickly. It was a mere shadow of the beast it once was. He raised his head proudly, snarling and snapping as he pushed forward, driving the sickly thing back._

 _He nosed at the body, trying to get it to stir. The snap of a branch as the grey wolf stepped forward brought his head up and he snarled, deep and low. He crouched himself over the red wolf, growling as he held his protective stance regardless of the fact it was already dead. All he knew was that this sick, grey, shadow of the proud creature they were would not come anywhere near them._

…

 **Chapter 6:**

 **Warship** _ **Great Bear**_

 **Within Inner Sphere Space**

 **The Rift, Far Periphery**

Raylan walked into the exercise room to find Cole, shirtless and wrapping his hands. Instantly, Raylan began to doubt his decision. Even in his uniform, Cole had been intimidating but without his shirt and in standard P.T. shorts, he was a monster. Muscles tensed and flexed in knotted balls and Raylan was reminded of watching Vera taking her Trial of Bloodname. She had fought an elemental in hand to hand combat in the first round and nearly lost an arm for her trouble.

"Are you ready, Star Captain Raylan of the Wolves?" He asked, tossing the tape aside as he purposefully flexed his arms and chest. Raylan tossed his shirt aside and balled his hands into fists, a silent signal that brought a smile to Cole's lips. "Good…"

Raylan went forward, trying to put as many ducks and weaves into his motion as he could. He was wagering that, given his size, Cole would be slower on his feet and not quite as nimble with his hands. Raylan might not be able to hit as hard as Cole probably could, but he could out maneuver them.

Raylan ducked low as Cole took the first swing and prepared to give a combo to the big man's solar plexus only to find Cole's hand wrapped around his throat and being lifted up. The speed took him off guard amount before the floor knocked the wind out of him. Raylan grunted and rolled back to his feet as best he could.

A moment later, Cole was charging and driving his knee forward and giving Raylan only a moment to bring his arms up to block the blow from crushing his nose. Another blow slammed into the side of his head and sent Raylan sailing. Raylan twisted and landed on all fours, springing forward and driving his fist into Cole's stomach and twisting.

Cole barely flinched and Raylan brought his other fist into his chest, using the last of his momentum to drive Cole back. Cole took a few stumbling steps backwards but found his footing quickly.

Raylan was out of breath, his body suffering from the blows Cole had inflicted on him already and he knew he couldn't last long. The Ghost Bear was proving to be much more of a threat than Raylan had anticipated. He was much faster than anyone Cole had ever fought, and much faster than Raylan had anticipated. He needed to do something to get and advantage over the Star Colonel.

Raylan dug his heels in and charged in what looked like a bull tackle, but at the last minute leapt forward, tucking his arms in to make a spear like form with his elbows.

The blows hit him lightning quick, barely registering in Raylan's mind as Cole stepped aside from Raylan's attack. His fist crashed into his stomach, and a moment later Cole's knee hit the same spot. Bile clawed at Raylan's throat but stopped in a second as Cole's hand clasped on Raylan's throat and belt. The massive man lifted Raylan up and slammed him back down on his spine, cracking the vertebrae audibly.

Raylan groaned in pain, writhing for a moment before Cole planted his knee on Raylan's throat and he clawed at the massive limb as it pressed down on Raylan's windpipe.

"Do you yield, Raylan of the Wolves?" Cole growled, his tone almost mocking. Raylan snarled, feeling a surge of energy as fury washed over him. "Ah, there is the wolf I have heard of so much."

Raylan spun his legs up and caught the back of Cole's head with his toe. Cole rolled off and back to his feet, nimble as a cat despite his size but Raylan was on him in an instant. He wrapped himself around Cole like a python, his leg locking over the Ghost Bear's neck and chest and his hands grabbing Cole's wrist. He pulled the limb straight, putting more and more stress on the joints until they began to pop and creak painfully.

Cole lifted Raylan up and slamming him down multiple times, but Raylan held strong, pulling further and further but Cole wouldn't give in. Finally, the arm popped out of place and Cole grunted in pain but let Raylan fall from the limb.

He looked at the limb and Raylan could hear the big man panting but not out of pain. He snarled, his eyes wild and menacing as Raylan tried to get back to his feet. Then, the big man laughed and snapped the limb back into place.

"Well, I suppose we can call this a draw. You fight well, Raylan of the Wolves." Cole said, lifting Raylan to his feet.

"You could just all me 'Raylan', Star Colonel." Raylan said, panting as the pain and exhaustion hit him like a truck.

"It is better to know and remember were you come from, even when the whole universe threatens to take it away from you." Cole responded, sitting down and handing him a water bottle.

"I am not sure I understand." Raylan said, taking a long drink and feeling it burn like fire in his throat.

"When I was young, many years ago, my sibko was moved a lot. Much more than was normal. To this day I do not know why but we had not home, at least not like you wolves. You are of Strana Mechty, quiaff?"

"Yes, we are." Raylan said, maintaining his act even as he saw a slight twitch of Cole's muscle at the Sphereoid speech.

"Now, you have no homeworld. The other clans have taken that from you. Truth be told, you do not even really have a clan anymore." He held up a large hand before Raylan could ask anything. "I know about your mission. As I have stated before, Galaxy Commander Tseng and I are…close. She informed me of your mission. All of it. I know the three of you are _dezgra_ for all intents and purposes. You can never return to your clan, not in the traditional sense. And even if you could, the Clan Wolf you left, the one that made you a warrior, it may not be there anymore. It may be something you scarcely recognize."

"Why are you saying this to me?" Raylan asked, feeling anger surging within him unbidden.

"Because I want you to understand this. You are Raylan, Star Captain of Clan Wolf. No one, no distance, no enemy can take that from you. Do you know of "the great work"?" Cole asked him, noting the anger in Raylan's voice.

"Yes. It is a Ghost Bear tradition. When one of yours comes of age, especially warriors, you begin a personal task of importance. I've heard that Galaxy Commander Tseng is a painter."

"She is." Cole said with a chuckle. "Although I would not make mention of knowing that. She is…very private about her personal life. Anyway, I, Raylan of the Wolves, am a historian. An Oathmaster of sorts, if you would like. Except I do not just record what the Clan deems glorious. I have recorded everything I have seen and everything I could get my hands on. And what I have learned is that remembering where we come from grounds us even in the most unfamiliar of times."

"I still don't understand, Star Colonel." Raylan said, looking at the big man in wonder and confusion.

"In the coming months, you will be in a land you have seen nothing but hostility in previously. You will most likely feel lost, perhaps even alone despite your three comrades. But never forget, you are Raylan of Strana Mechty. Raylan of the Wolves. In your heart beats the hunt and you hear the howl that pierces the stars. I want you to understand that no matter how lost you are, you will be remembered by at least one person as Raylan of the Wolves. Do not lose heart, even if you must stray from your path."

Cole put a hand on Raylan's shoulder and smiled at him and then stood up.

"Now then, Raylan of the Wolves, I hear your Star Captain Vickers is looking for you. Thank you for this fight. It has been refreshing. We will be jumping soon, and then it will be up to your dropship to take you the rest of the way. I wish you the best of luck, my friend. If we do not see each other before you depart, know you will be remembered in my chronicle."

"Thank you, Star Colonel Woods. I can only hope our paths cross again somewhere down the line." They shook hands and Raylan headed back to the room the three Wolves shared. He could only imagine what Cary Vickers could want from him.

… **..**


	8. Chapter 7

… **..**

 _The white wolf he had become was a proud creature, he knew this, it was his pride from years of training, and tradition. The grey wolf stepped forward, its jaw snapping shut and its teeth closing inches from his face. The beast snorted, steam blowing from its nose as it suddenly took a step back, eyes fixed on the red wolf below it._

 _The white wolf looked below it, finding the once proud and beautiful red wolf a rotting, festering corpse. Shocked, he leapt back, finding his back against the tree line as the grey wolf moved forward quickly, starving jaws devouring the corpse eagerly. It was heedless of the diseased flesh and the sight disgusted him._

 _Never taking his eyes off the grey beast, he backed away into the shadows of the wood, losing himself in the darkness._

… **.**

 **Chapter 7:**

 **Dropship** _ **Bloody Jaw**_

 **Periphery Space, Inner Sphere**

 **Preparing for dropoff of "Vicker's Vipers"**

Raylan checked and rechecked the fasteners on _Tala_ , confirming she was secure in her bay as the dropship began its final check for decoupling from the _Great Bear_. It had been almost two months since he, Cary and Clara had left the Clan behind to venture forward into the unknown. Now, the first leg of their journey was almost over and the periphery of Rasalhague space awaited them.

He looked around the bay and found that the techs had secured their own vehicles. They would be in APC's after landing and waiting for the mercenary company "Kain's Cavalry", a unit that was in the area and the Ghost Bear's would contact anonymously. After that, it was up to the three Wolves to maintain their act.

Raylan caught his reflection in a windshield of one of the APC's and smiled in spite of himself. He certainly looked the part of Inner Sphere mercenary now, his white hair long and wild and a shaggy beard covering his face. His body was now strong, although losing its lean look. He found his looked more imposing this way, anyhow.

"So, you ready _Captain Wilkbia_." Clara asked, her own red hair braided and tied high, resting her hands on her hips. He bit back the bile in his throat, remembering it was a role he needed to play for the safety of his Clan.

"Yes, _Sergeant Hylan_. I believe I am." He replied with a sigh. She gave him a light punch on the shoulder, and smiled.

"Oh, come on big guy. Just you, trapped on some backwater planet with two beautiful, fierce warrior wolves? I dare say this would be most men's fantasy."

"Keep dreamin', sister." Raylan said and Clara laughed.

"Do you think the Sphere has changed much since we were here last?"

"Who can say. I doubt we'll have much time to sight see. The rock we're landing on might as well be an asteroid."

"Wonderful." Clara said, rolling her eyes. "First time out of Clan space since Operation: REVIVAL and we get sent to the ass end of nowhere."

"I thought you'd enjoy the frost ball. Besides, it'll give us time to sit and talk." Raylan sighed in spite of himself. "Although, truth be told, I've had enough sitting and talking for one lifetime."

"Don't _even_ think it, Raylan. Bored or not, I don't want to end up getting hit in the Periphery. " Clara responded, thrusting a finger in front of his nose.

"Alright alright, jeez." Raylan peered out the dropship into the vast emptiness of space around them. "It feels odd being back, doesn't it?"

"I just keep imagining that we're like the second wave of Wolf's Dragoons. On our way to recon for the Clan."

"Yea, the second wave of Dragoons fully funded by the Dragoons."

"Jeez, you're pricklier than a cactus today. What's going on with you?" Clara asked as they sat down in the small office the techs used for breaks.

"I've…if you laugh I'll strangle you." He said before starting, fixing Clara with a steel gaze. She shrugged. "I've been having the same nightmare for weeks now. Wolves trapped in the snow. A red wolf dead on the ground as a sickly grey wolf circles. Howls under moonlight."

Raylan shook his head, realizing how ridiculous it must sound, but found Clara nodding and looking at him with concern.

"I talked to many people when we were on the _Great Bear_. They talked of visions and dreams. Still, why does this dream in particular distress you?"

"I'm worried the red wolf is you, Clara." Raylan said frankly, laying the anxiety he had been holding in bare finally.

"Me? Why do you…" She began asking but stopped, catching the look in his eyes. "…I understand, Raylan. Truth be told, ever since this Trial began, I've been carrying a knot of anxiety in my stomach every time we were sent into battle separately. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have at my six than you, and I know there isn't anyone who makes a better partner."

Clara reached across the table and rested her hand on top of his, giving it a little squeeze. And it was true. Raylan hadn't realized it until Clara had said it, but he felt much more at home and comfortable when she was nearby. More than anyone else he had served with, Raylan felt most comfortable having Clara at his back. The two looked at each other for a long moment, feeling the strength of the bond they shared in their eyes.

"Alright, enough sentimentality you big softy you. Cary wanted to meet up with us before we begin planetfall." Clara said chuckling and Raylan couldn't help but laugh to as she patted his hand and stood up.

"Suppose we probably shouldn't keep her waiting then." Raylan said, rising himself as the pair left the mechbay behind and headed to what amounted to the Commander's Quarters. Cary was waiting, seated behind a large desk. She had also changed her look, trying to look more the part of a hardened Inner Sphere mercenary rather than a veteran Clan warrior. Her hair now cut into an undercut like mohawk, she was doing her best to maintain her act, jaw set and eyes hard.

"Alright, this is it. The last stretch. Once we get picked up by Kain's Cavalry, we just have to keep up our act until we reach Arc Royal." Cary smiled widely " You two have been great, I couldn't ask for better teammates. I hope it hasn't been too boring for you."

"Not at all, the whole thing has been one big adventure. Just wish we didn't end up in the ass end of nowhere." Clara replied.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of the Sphere soon enough." Cary replied. Raylan stood, leaning against the wall and silent. "Penny for your thoughts, Raylan?"

"It's nothing, _Colonel_ Vickers. Just feeling very alone in the universe outside the three of us. Almost wish we could've brought some of the Ghost Bears with us." He responded.

"Fair enough. I really can't say I'm thrilled by the prospect of being left alone in the Periphery with no one as support. Still, the benefit is that because no one knows were we are, well, no one knows were we are. It'll basically just be us sitting around for two days until the Cavalry arrives."

"Wonderful." Raylan said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Regardless, I would rather be careful. As such, we'll each take a patrol during the time we're waiting." She paused, showing Clara and Raylan her codex "Remember, the data in this thing _must_ reach the Hounds, no matter the cost."

Both mechwarriors saluted and left the room to finalize their own checks for landing. Raylan returned to the mechbay, having packed the little clothing and personal items he had hours earlier and stashed them in _Tala_ 's cockpit. He climbed into her command seat, and began the power up sequence. The feeling of the reactor powering up beneath him gave him a thrill like no other even if this was for nothing more than a systems check.

After confirming that her brains were working properly, Raylan crawled out and began to scour _Tala_ 's body for anything amiss. In the time since they left the _Great Bear_ , he had busied himself with "asking" the techs to teach him as much about 'mech repair as they could. In truth, he had learned precious little, but felt confident he could at very least identify a problem if he found one. Raylan hoped that, if the opportunity presented itself, he could learn how to repair the beast. It might be below his status as a warrior, but as their mission progressed, Raylan was learning that status and position didn't mean much.

After confirming in his mind that _Tala_ was prepared to land and everything was packed, Raylan moved on to meet with Cary and discuss the final landing logistics and patrol routes. He had volunteered for the first run and wanted to know if anything, or anyone, would be waiting for them.

The door slid open with a hiss and Raylan stepped inside, finding Cary reclining behind her desk.

"Hello again, Raylan. Please have a seat." Cary said, motioning to the chair in front of the large metal desk. Raylan sat down with a nod and fixed his eyes on her. "Jeez, Clara said you were prickly today but I didn't know it would be this bad. Want some coffee?"

She got up and poured herself a mug, and turned her head to receive his reply. He declined and she shrugged before sitting back down. The holoprojector hummed to life as Cary hit the console buttons and a small globe appeared.

"Ok. This lovely ice ball is our landing zone. Its called Misery's End, not the name I would pick but that's not the point. It's habitable, if you can qualify a high daytime temperature of -1.1 Celsius habitable. Atmosphere is breathable, and were we are landing has a large forest."

Raylan felt the dreams seeping back into his mind suddenly, a violent revulsion deep in his soul.

" _Wolves trapped in the snow. Hunted by the unseen enemy."_ The thought echoed in his mind.

"Threats are minor. The most we'll have to worry about is possibly a band of pirates. They won't have much that can threaten us, although if they scuff our paint it might help the cover story." Cary said laughing slightly.

"Ok, so what will the patrol look like. I want to plug it into _Tala_ as soon as possible." Raylan said, trying to keep the thought of the dream as far from his mind as possible.

"Alright…" Cary said, bringing up a smaller map on the holoprojector. "…our base, where the two off duty and techs will be is at NAV Gamma. Patrols will go out 5 Kilometers to NAV Alpha and follow a route in a square until they come back to the camp. The route stays 5 kilometers out, so we'll always be in sensor range but it will give enough time to mobilize if something goes wrong."

She took a sip of the still steaming coffee and sighed as she looked at Raylan.

"You really should relax some Raylan. We aren't going to find anyone here that will be any real threat to us." She said and Raylan scoffed

"I believe the last time the Clans came to the Sphere they thought the same thing. I'd rather be careful, Cary." She raised her hands in surrender.

"Alright, alright. Point taken. Look, we should be entering final planet burn shortly. Once we land, you'll be on patrol. Each route is four and a half hours long, so I hope you're prepared for that."

"Should be a nice change. I could use a little silence." Raylan said with a slight smile, even if it felt false.

"I'm glad you'll enjoy it. Anyway, it's almost time. Go get yourself strapped in, Raylan. See you planetside." Cary said, smiling warmly as Raylan got up and left, heading to the mechbay to get suited and set inside _Tala._

The cockpit welcomed him as he sat back in the command couch and the dull lights of the consoles cast heavy shadows over his face. Part of him wanted to believe that Cary was right but he couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking right into a trap.

…


	9. Chapter 8

…

 _The darkness was physical, pressing into him and threatening to swallow him whole. He felt its tendrils snaking into his skin, lashing at his bones and he roared against it. His eyes blazed as he sprinted on, seeing a dim light far ahead._

 _He could hear the noises of his hunters nearing, smell their acrid breath as they panted after him. Still he ran on, through the engulfing darkness and past the snapping teeth and slicing claws that threatened him. He had no choice, the light was his only salvation._

 _Yet every step forward felt like it took a decade and the light grew ever dimmer. Soon, very soon it would be gone and he would be alone. The cold was eating him then, his very bones feeling frozen and then the smell hit him and he knew at once what it was. Blood in the air._

…

 **Chapter 8:**

 **Misery's End**

 **Periphery Space, Inner Sphere**

Raylan checked his sensors again and scowled finding the contact in the same place it had been previously. The bright red dot seemed to glow mockingly at him, knowing full well it was confirming the thoughts he had been having since they set down on the planet.

It had been too close to his dreams, the forest sprawling and massive. The trees threatening to block out the sun and moons. The howls of some indeterminable creature far in the distance. And now the track of a hidden foe.

Raylan hadn't called the contact in yet, it was only one after all and could be an abandoned sensor drone for all he knew. Raylan had decided to hunt down his prey first and then make a judgement from there.

He had been on patrol for nearly three hours now, and this development was an aggravating if not expected distraction. Still, Raylan almost relished the chance of letting _Tala_ bare her fangs again.

The sensor contact grew closer now and he looked out the canopy to see if he could make visual contact with his target. Instead he found nothing and scowled, looking back at his sensor display. Raylan slowed _Tala_ to a walk as he came within full weapons range.

He still remembered the tricks the Inner Sphere had used early in the invasion. Pits lined with mines with sensor traps to lure unsuspecting Clanners to fall in. Raylan had seen them work twice and he wouldn't be made a fool of now.

Aiming the lasers downward, Raylan fired and the snow covering the ground vaporized into steam. There was no pit, and no explosion but also no target. Confused, he pushed forward, looking down at the ground.

There a small piece of metal glistened up at him, rusted and worn nearly to nothing by time. Raylan hit the magnification and looked for anything distinguishing but found nothing. He made a mental note of it, then fired his lasers again, destroying it fully and removing the sensor contact from his scope.

He growled to himself, and began chastising himself for being so on edge. Some would say it was part of what made him a great warrior but at the moment he only felt like a great fool. There was nothing here, at least as far as he could see. Raylan partially wondered if his anxiety wasn't also a form of desire.

Raylan hadn't seen true battle since the three of them had left Clan Wolf behind to ensure Khan Phelan Ward's former unit and family would be waiting when they arrived. He wanted more than anything to face someone in combat again and not in a simulator pod. _Tala_ herself was growing restless and Raylan could do nothing to satiate her at the moment.

With a sigh, Raylan turned and headed back to the patrol route. He still had a wide area to search and Cary would be beginning her own patrol soon. The detour to investigate what amounted to scrap had cost him and he glowered at his reflection when he caught it.

Another hour passed by without him noticing as he approached NAV Delta and he heard his commlink crackle to life.

"Raylan this is Vickers. How's it looking out there?" He could hear the _Gargoyle_ 's massive feet as she marched the machine out of the camp they had set up.

"Quiet, Colonel. Had a sensor contact but it turned up to be nothing but scrap." He replied.

"Scrap? New?" She asked, a hint of excitement in her voice. It seemed he wasn't the only one becoming restless.

"No, old. Probably part of a 'mech but not one that's walked for centuries."

"Roger. Any other signs?"

"Nope. Just trees and snow." Raylan said as he checked his sensors again. He almost wanted to beg for something to appear but tore his eyes away before he could.

"Roger. Well, finish your sweep and head in for shut eye. You'll be back out here soon enough." Cary said and Raylan nodded to himself.

"Roger that. Good hunting, Colonel Vickers." He shut off the link and sighed. Using Inner Sphere language and ranks still didn't feel natural and he shuddered at the bluntness of the language. Still it was becoming more second nature now than when they had first started and he, at very least, felt that he wouldn't slip up anytime soon.

The camp waited ahead, the small tents standing behind the APC's and Clara's _Mad Dog_ as it sat in shut down. Raylan pulled _Tala_ around and into position before shutting her down as well and descending to the ground.

The cold air bit into his skin and he involuntarily shivered against it as he pulled the tent flap open and secured it behind him. He stripped off the cooling vest and set it aside before pulling on thermal under layer gear. Clara was sitting on the edge of her cot as he entered and flashed him a warm smile.

"Nice walk?" She asked as he flopped down in his own cot.

"Sure, if you like snow and trees. Nothing in way of enemies except the cold." Raylan muttered, grabbing the technical manual for the _Timber Wolf_ and opening it to where he had left off before.

"So, you're really serious about learning how to repair your 'mech?" Clara asked, looking at the cover of the manual.

"Might as well be. We're on our own out here and if the techs have other jobs, they can't be everywhere at once. Besides, nothing wrong with being multi-talented."

"Guess I can't argue with that." Clara went back to her own things and Raylan lost himself in his book. Hours went by and he soon found himself waking from a deep sleep as the radio next to his bed crackled to life.

"Vipers Nest this is Viper 3 come in, over." Clara's voice called over the static.

"Go ahead Viper 3." Cary responded.

"I've…I've got a contact. A massive contact."

"Hostile?" Cary asked and Raylan could hear the tension in her voice

"Unknown. Haven't moved it up. Wouldn't mind some back up." Clara responded calmly.

"Roger. Viper 2 are you with us?"

"Roger that, Viper 1." Raylan said still groggy.

"I want you to suit up and meet Viper 3 at her position and move up that contact. I want full reports on anything you find."

"Roger, I'll head out now." Raylan said, shutting the radio off and racing to _Tala_. He powered the 'mech up quickly and pushed the throttle forward, it's massive feet clawing at the snow beneath in great clumps as he brought it to a full run.

The _Timber Wolf_ raced down the distance, closing on Clara's _Mad Dog_ in the distance with ease.

Raylan pulled the 'mech up close and slowed to a stand-still. He checked his sensors and found them empty and after a moment of confusion, opened his commlink to Clara.

"Viper 3, I've got nothing on scope. What do you see?"

"Massive form on magscan, Viper 2. Either one large target or many smaller." Clara responded and then added after a pause. "Good to have you here."

"Good to be here. What's the weight estimate?"

"Around 200 tons…" Clara said hesitantly.

"That's…something. I'll push forward. Keep me covered and guide me in." Raylan said as he began walking _Tala_ forward into the forest.

"Roger that, Viper 2. I've got your six." Clara said and the pair began moving slowly forward. She communicated to Raylan the directions they needed to move and if the vague shape changed at all.

Soon, they came to a cliffside. It was sheer, appearing to be granite with iron in it. Raylan asked if the magscan could be experiencing interference from the iron, but Clara insisted that the shape was beyond the face of the cliff. Raylan thought for a moment and switched his own visuals to thermal, scanning the cliff for any discrepancies.

Sure enough, a large section of the cliff highlighted as warm, and upon closer inspection appeared to have moved recently. Raylan stepped forward and brought his weapon pods up but paused after Clara sent a squelch order through the commlink.

"Vipers Nest, this is Viper 3. We have what appears to be a hidden door here. Magscan marks target as beyond it. Advise how to proceed."

"Viper 3, proceed with caution. I don't need you two getting slagged by some mystery."

"Roger, Viper Nest. Will keep you updated." Clara said before turning the link back to Raylan. "Alright Viper 2, bring it down."

 _Tala'_ s lasers burned through the wall with ease, metal boiling and running in molten rivers. The darkness beyond loomed in front of them and both paused.

"That looks welcoming." Clara said jokingly.

"Yea. Might want to lock your missiles. Don't need them causing a cave in on us." Raylan said, searching the interior with his thermal scan silently.

"Good point." Clara said before taking a step forward. "I lead, you follow?"

"You're the hunter. I'll follow your lead." Raylan said and he could practically feel Clara's smile through the commlink.

The two mechwarriors moved into the darkness carefully, leaving the relative safety of the moonlit wilderness behind as they descended below. Raylan could feel his skin crawl as the darkness enveloped _Tala_ with silent malice. He kept his thermal scan on and one eye on Clara and her _Mad Dog._

There was a sudden noise like a great click and incandescent lights buzzed to life. Both 'mechs slammed to a stop and looked around as their pilots looked for any threats. Finding nothing and after a moment to let their heart rates slow, Raylan and Clara surveyed the massive, cavernous room they had entered.

Carved from the rock and reinforced with metal, the room had multiple bays and storage areas. To the right was a glass encompassed room overlooking it all and, in the center, a silver inlayed star.

"By the Founder…" Clara said, breaking character for a moment. "…are…are you seeing this?"

"I am. I just can't believe it…" Raylan said as they moved further in. He keyed the commlink to Cary and the base quickly. "Vipers Nest come in."

"This is Vipers Nest, go ahead Viper 2." Cary said, sounding more than a little tired.

"Colonel…you're not going to believe this. I'm pretty sure…we might have found a Star League cache here. The Founders past is here, Colonel."

"Any 'tech?" Cary said, excitement clear in her tone.

"No…nothing. All the bays are empty but there is ammo and fuel. Fresh puddles...someone has definitely been here. And recently."

"Roger that. Think you have time to search at all?" Cary asked, pushing onwards despite the knowledge of the new threat possibly lurking through the woods.

"Maybe? I'm not sure. What would you like us to look for?" Raylan asked, scanning around the room again.

"Computers. Data cores. Anything like that. Download it into one of your computers and bring it back for analysis. I'm sure the boys back home will appreciate it."

"Roger that Colonel. Will do. Viper 2 out." Raylan said, realizing how much this information would be worth to the Clans as a whole.

The founders were revered and if this place had any information on those that went with General Kerensky or, even more holy, information on the Kerensky's themselves it would be treasure like nothing anyone had seen.

Raylan and Clara powered down their 'mechs and descended, each wielding a flashlight and Clan sidearm. Each gave the other an incredulous look and then shrugged as they proceeded up the stairs to the glass room. Inside was a few command consoles, but it appeared to be a hangar log. It wasn't what they were looking for, but could prove useful if the fear that Raylan had proved true.

Powering the system up, Raylan scanned over the itemized lists carefully. Weapons, supplies and ammos were laid out and listed for him but what he was looking for was a page down.

The list of Battlemechs was impressive, and to a certain extent, terrifying. Two _Sentinels,_ a _Mercury_ , a _Hermes_ and a _Mongoose_ made up one lance which Clara assumed to be a scout or harassment unit. The other lance, the one that gave both Clanners pause consisted of a _Lancelot_ , a _Black Knight_ , a _Highlander_ , an _Atlas_ and a _King Crab._ If that amount of firepower was lurking around the forests above, the three stray wolves were in serious trouble.

Raylan saved the files and the pair moved on down the halls, trying to find any sort of marking that would give them a hint as to where they could look. They passed a mess hall, appearing to still be stocked, and bunk rooms showing signs of use.

Finally, a massive command center opened to them and they marveled at the ancient yet somehow advanced technology. Clara quickly moved to the main console and powered it on. The system hummed with life as her hands flew across the commands to bring up information and rosters.

"Look at this, Raylan. The last official entry was in 2784. They're talking about the Exodus Road and…by the Founder…." She said as Raylan moved next to her and read for himself.

The log detailed how General Kerensky had come to the decision that the members of this base would stay behind as a type of early warning group. This decision wasn't a fluke either, and many other worlds in the far Periphery had similar hidden bases."

"So the Dragoons weren't the first…"Raylan said quietly, looking from the screen to Clara.

"I guess not. And there's more. This is a map leading directly back to Terra. On ancient jump points. We could use these and be there in weeks. The Sphere would never even know."

"Download it. All of it, we take it back and analyze it once we're off this rock." Raylan said, turning his eyes up at the open door. "I've got a bad feeling about this place…"

"On it." Clara said as she began to load all the stored information onto the same drive as the mech roster. Raylan could feel eyes on him, and tensed his body as he looked around the room.

His eyes caught it first, the slight tremble in the shadows and he brought his sidearm up, clicking the safety off. Whatever or whoever was hiding there exploded forward, slamming their full weight into his stomach and driving him back. It was a blur and Raylan spun on his heels, wrapping his forearms around his attackers waist as they went.

Clara moved to help but Raylan waved her back to finish the download as he held his attacker in position. They growled and snarled like an animal and Raylan dropped quickly to one knee. The motion brought the attackers chin down rapidly into his other, a sickening crack echoing through the room.

Their body went limp and Raylan let go, the person dropping limply to the floor. Without a second thought, Raylan flipped them over, placed his knee on their chest and leveled his pistol at their nose.

He, as he was obviously male, was skinny, but not malnourished. Rather his body was tight muscle, toned through use and exercise. He struggled weakly, the effects of the blow wearing off slowly. When his eyes focused, fear shot across his features as he found the barrel of the pistol on his nose.

"Silence. I have no wish to kill you, but if you make a sound without my _express_ permission I will. Do you understand?" Raylan said, his voice a harsh whisper. The boy nodded. "Good, now where are the others?"

"Patrol." He said, before adding with a wicked smile "Should be back soon enough."

"Terrific. Clara, how's it coming?" He asked, turning his eyes from his captive to her.

"Almost done." She replied.

"You'll never get the information back to where ever it is you're from, mercenary. The Star Remnants will hunt you down and eat you alive."

"Is that what you call yourselves? 'Star Remnants?" Raylan said, snorting a harsh laugh before leaning in close. "Well, news flash for you, we are no mercenaries. We are the true children of Kerensky. That information is ours by birth rite."

Recognition flittered through the young man's eyes and Clara moved to the entrance, giving Raylan a thumbs up to indicate the download was done.

"Up, on your feet." Raylan said, pulling the boy upwards and tying his hands at the wrists with nylon cord. "As of this moment, you belong to me. Make a noise or do anything stupid, I will put a bullet in you. Cooperate and I promise you will earn your place."

The boy said nothing and the now trio moved out. Clara raced into her _Mad Dog_ and powered it up as Raylan helped his new bondsman into _Tala_ 's cockpit and sat down himself.

"You know I could kill you when your back is turned to me in here…"The boy said quietly. Raylan scoffed.

"You do that and you're trapped in a walking nuclear reactor with no control. Bad place to be." He could hear the boy shrug. "Do you have a name? I would rather call my new bondman something other than "Boy" or "Hey You"."

"Arien." He replied simply. Raylan nodded.

"Ok, Arien. Tell me, what have your Star Remnants been up to on Misery's End?" There was silence. "You are my bondsman, Arien, your honor compels you to answer and serve. I assume your Star Remnants still have that?"

There was a moments pause as Raylan and Clara made there was towards the entrance they had blown open. The darkness around them loomed heavier than ever and the light ahead seemed dimmer than he remembered.

" _Hunters in the dark. Snapping jaws and tearing claws threatening to devour him_." Raylan thought with a growl, shaking the recollection away.

"We have been waiting. For Kerensky, I suppose. Waiting and watching as the Inner Sphere tore itself apart." Arien paused for a moment. "If you are the children of Kerensky does that mean he's…."

"Yes. Both Father and Son have passed, though we sing their songs of glory in the Rememberance."

"So are you all of his blood then?" Arien asked, growing no more comfortable but, at very least, curious.

"No. Some of us, in my Clan yes…" Raylan paused as a thought passed through his mind. "…you know of the Clans, yes?"

"We heard reports of something the Inner Sphere called the Clans invading. We assumed it was some type of pirate confederation and nothing more. Although the ferocity and damage they…you inflicted seemed to make that an impossibility."

"And you took no action to discover more?" Raylan asked, almost accusingly.

"We have held our vigil for centuries. Nothing could take us from what General Kerensky had given us. Not you, or the Sphere. Only the General himself." Arien paused "Although, I guess that is an impossibility now."

"So, it would seem. What would your people do if given that information?"

"I have no idea. Some would self destruct. Others may wish to return to the Inner Sphere. We never imagined it as a possibility."

"You never thought after centuries of no contact that Kerensky could have perished?"

"We assumed he and his followers had found or invented technology far beyond our comprehension. That they may have even found the way to immortality." Arien said and an uncomfortable silence fell between them. "Will you kill me?"

"Not if you do as I say when I say it. You are my bondsman, not my prisoner nor my hostage. Treat me with respect and honor and I assure you I will do the same." Raylan said, turning and activating _Tala'_ s autopilot for a moment. "Give me your wrists, Arien."

The boy held out his bond arms and Raylan cut the cords before retying them on his left. He turned back to his controls and slid the blade into its sheath.

"That is your bondscord. As long as you wear it, you belong to me and will do as I command. Each strand represents another aspect of the Clan way. Prove you understand and I will free you of your ties. Once all are gone, you will be welcomed into Clan Wolf as one of us. Do you understand?"

"Yes. I understand, sir." Raylan snorted a laugh at the use of "sir".

"I am Star Captain Raylan of Clan Wolf. No need to call me 'sir'. Just Raylan will suffice. I will answer any questions you may have to the best of my ability and will treat you as best I can if you will give me the respect and loyalty I demand."

There was silence again and it was broken by the crackle of static over the commlink.

"Vipers Nest to Vipers 2 and 3, please repeat last transmission?" Cary's voice called over the channel.

"Vipers Nest, Viper 3 reporting. Hidden Star League era base found with two, repeat two lances of mechs. Data on jump points back to Terra and documents from during Exodus recovered as well as one bondsman in Viper 2's possession."

"By Kerensky…"Cary went silent for a long moment. "Roger, return to the nest as soon as possible. I would look at this information and ensure it is hidden before our ride gets here."

"Ride? Do you not have your own ship?" Arien asked as he overheard the conversation.

"No, we three are a…vanguard of sorts. It is…a long story." Raylan said, recalling what all had brought him here.

"It seems I have the time to hear it." Arien replied and Raylan shrugged. He told his bondsman of Operation: REVIVAL and the Clans' defeat on Tukayyid and the bargain ilKhan Ulric Kerensky had struck in its conclusion. He told of the other Clans' deceit and false charges, of the beginnings of war and the new exodus Clan Wolf had begun. "So you three are here to ensure your Clan has a home in the area that not a year ago was to be your conquest?"

"Something like that, yes. As such, we adopted the persona of mercenaries and are doing our best to remain hidden in plain sight until we can return to our Clan."

"Unbelievable…" Arien said and Raylan nodded in agreement. It all did seem like a hopeless dream, even this far into the task.

"The mercenary unit, Kain's Cavalry, will arrive in…" Raylan checked his clock display "…14 hours to relieve and retrieve us before we make our way to Arc Royal to make contact with the Kell Hounds."

"That is a grave mistake…" Arien said calmly.

"Oh, and why is that?" Raylan asked as the camp came into view.

"We detected the ship that dropped you here, but after it left we assumed it was just repairing itself although patrols were sent out to make sure. Your camp was lucky to stay off our radar. When the ship for this new unit arrives, the lances of the Remnants will swarm over you."

"I see. Unfortunately, they have never seen Clan omnimechs or our weapons." Raylan replied.

"You saw the roster. Our 'mechs are Star League tech, kept in almost pristine condition. The command lance outweighs you at least two fold."

"We are Wolves, Arien. We will lash out and devour any who threaten us. Backing us into a corner will only make us fight harder." Raylan said matter of factly. Arien didn't respond. It didn't matter to Raylan whether Arien believed they would survive or not. He knew that he and his Clan mates would destroy anyone who stepped up to them. They couldn't fail, not after coming this far.

Upon returning to the camp, Raylan brought Arien with him as he and Clara met up with Cary.

She looked the boy up and down then turned to Raylan.

"Who you take as bondman is you business, Raylan, but I would rather not have someone waiting in shadows to dismantle everything we are working for. Can we trust him not to do so?"

"He knows he is bond by honor. If what he has told me of the Star Remnants is true, that will be enough. He is also aware of the consequence of betrayal." Raylan responded, patting the sidearm with something like affection.

"Alright, then I will trust you to watch after him and teach him our ways." Cary turned to Clara "And you have the data?"

"Of course, Star Captain." Clara responded, handing the data drive over. Cary nodded and pocketed it, deciding to review it later.

"Well, good news is we only have about 8 hours to wait. Kain's Cavalry is on their final descent. They got here early." Cary said, sighing heavily "The bad news is, the techies have detected a number of radar contacts and signals. They are assuming that these "Star Remnants" have also detected the ship and are moving to intercept."

"They are coming here. We…they have advanced detection systems far beyond anything you have probably ever seen." Arien said, pausing for a moment before adding "They will try and wipe you off this planet in one blow."

"Then they will fail miserably. I can set up our defense but we will need to move the techs out and hide them. You, bondsman…" Cary called to Arien. "…will they circle us or hit us in one direction to drive us back?"

"Most likely the second. The scout lance will rush first to harass and soften you then the command lance will come in for the killing blow." Arien said quietly, seeming to resign himself to the fact he was a traitor to his cause now.

"Ok, then here's the plan…" Cary Vickers laid out the plan in explicit detail, leaving nothing to chance. Clara would hold back, hiding her 'mech under a snow bank in low power until she could swarm the enemy with LRM's. Clara and Raylan would stand and fight, leading their enemies into Clara's kill zone.

It was solid enough for a three person squad fighting an overwhelming enemy. Unfortunately, a lot of the success rate was determined at how long it would take the Star Remnants to attack versus how soon Kain's Cavalry could arrive.

" _We're literally waiting for the cavalry here."_ Raylan thought with a small laugh as he and Arien began helping the techs pack the camp and move it even further behind Clara's position. She would not only be Cary and his fire support, but the techies last line of defense.

The snow blew against his skin as Raylan stood just above the open hatch to _Tala_ 's cockpit. The high powered scope he held was trained on the tree line some 3000 kilometers away, He was the first in their loose line of defense, and would bare the brunt of the harassing fire. Clara had orders not to open fire until the command lance arrived, the thought of course being she could deliver the more damage over time if she wasn't at risk of running out of ammo.

He caught the first hint of movement and threw a thumb up into the air, a visual signal to Cary that they had incoming and dropped into _Tala_. He had left her powered on and slapped the targeting reticule down on the closest enemy.

The _Hermes_ was leading the charge, its humanoid appearance racing forward to close the distance between them. Raylan brought _Tala_ forward slowly, stalking the 30 ton mech without fear.

" _Well at least they gave us most of the time…"_ Raylan thought with a grimace as he came within weapons range and fired. His lasers bit into the _Hermes'_ side with tremendous fury, melting armor and heating the internal structure white hot. The pilot of the _Hermes_ was startled, faltering for a moment and causing his 'mech to teeter off balance for a moment.

Raylan helped it fall as his full complement of SRM's slammed into the light battlemech, sending ceramic armor plates and internal metal flying across the battlefield as the entire chest cavity was laid bare to the elements.

The Remnant _Mercury_ which had been following shortly on its friend's heels slowed to almost a complete stop as Raylan turned on it. Once again, and to even more devastating effect on the even light 20-ton chassis, _Tala_ 's lasers tore massive gashes of molten metal out of the 'mech and it stumbled forward. Its squat form slammed into the ground, leaving a massive gash in the frozen earth as it skidded forward.

Raylan smirked to himself, extending _Tala'_ s gunpods out in a gesture of defiance. The final three of the scout lance held back and he realized that they had been meant to give the command lance more time to reach their position. The Remnants hadn't counted on Clan technology and its superior range or damage.

Finally, the remains of the lance pressed forward together. The _Mongoose_ led the formation flanked on either side by the twin _Sentinels_. Raylan smiled, putting one arm squarely over each of the _Sentinels_ and leaving the _Mongoose_ centered for his SRMs to hammer into.

In a blaze of destruction, the _Sentinel_ to his left lost its stubby laser arm and its twin found a glowing scar on its chassis. The _Mongoose_ fared far worse as a full suite of warheads detonated against its body. Ceramic armor cartwheeled away as its weak inner structure practically collapsed in on itself.

The _Sentinels_ raced forward again with the one-armed wonder deciding to work its way behind Raylan as he fought its less damaged twin. He had to smile, knowing full well all the _Sentinel_ behind him would find was Cary's _Gargoyle_ and it's twin LB-5x autocannons.

Sure enough, the roar of the mech mounted shotguns echoed in _Tala_ 's cockpit and a second later he heard the explosion as the _Sentinel_ went critical. He pushed his own opponent backwards and fought it down until it was practically on its knees. With sick satisfaction, he melted the remaining armor away from the 'mech's chest and watched as the reactor within boiled over. The enemy pilot had no time to eject as the nuclear reactor went supernova and erupted.

"Nice shooting, Viper 2." Cary said as she moved up next to him to await the next phase of their defense.

"Thanks Viper Lead. Any news from our knights in shining armor?"

"Not yet. Assume we're on our own for now. At least for the next hour and a half." Cary said, laughing. "You act like you don't relish the idea of fighting an overwhelming enemy force on their home turf or something."

"Or something…" Raylan muttered as _Tala_ 's sensor beeped a warning at him. "…uh oh, we've got contact. Looks like the _Lancelot_ and _Black Knight_ are up front. _Highlander_ is in the middle. The big ones are coming up in back."

"Makes sense. Viper 3, do you read." Cary said, calling to Clara in her hidden position.

"I read you Viper Lead." Clara's voice was static and low as she kept her _Mad Dog_ in low power.

"I want you to hold fire as long as possible. Viper 2 and I should be able to deal with the first two but the _Atlas_ and _King Crab_ are coming up in the rear. I want you to rain fire on those two as much as possible."

"Roger, Viper Lead. I'll bring the hammer down on them." Clara responded before shutting off the link.

"How long do we have, Viper 2?" Cary asked, returning her attention to Raylan.

"Five minutes probably. Maybe a little less." He responded.

"Ok. How do you want to do this?" She asked and Raylan could practically feel her smile.

"I'm open to suggestion." He said as he checked the distances again.

"How about we target one and separate it from the group and bring it down. Take 'em apart piece by piece." Cary said and both chuckled.

"How very un-Clanlike, Viper Lead. Sounds good. Start with the _Lancelot_?" Raylan said, focusing his targeting reticule on the bizarre 60-ton unit.

"Roger that. Just don't let them string us out. And leave a little meat for me, huh?" Cary said as Raylan shut the commlink off laughing. In the end, their plan of picking the enemy apart would only last as long as it took the enemy to figure out what they were doing.

The recon lance seemed to be taken apart pretty easily, but that could've been from excitement and having their first real battle in what he could only assume was ages. Rust was a dangerous thing on a pilot's skill, and for such an isolated group it was proving to be a disaster.

Still, a command lance would be much better trained and probably heavily drilled so he couldn't expect them to fall apart at the first sign of trouble.

The _Lancelot_ strode into view now, surprisingly fast for a heavy 'mech, and Raylan pushed forward. He swung _Tala_ behind the 60-ton chassis and lit the battlemech's rear a flame with laser fire. Most battlemechs suffered from horribly weak rear armor, especially in the Inner Sphere which made it an easily exploitable weak point.

The pilot, surprisingly calm given the situation, turned and blasted Raylan with their own twin large lasers. The molten scars bubbled and oozed on _Tala_ 's side and Raylan was taken by surprise for a moment.

He recentered himself, focusing on his target and fired again. His lasers raked the _Lancelot_ 's torso just as Cary brought her _Gargoyle_ behind it and blew away the mech's rear with her LBX's. Everything below the armor was ripped apart as well and the 60-ton chassis collapsed forward.

Suddenly, an azure bolt slammed into Cary's upper chest as the remaining electric charge bled out over the humanoid form of the _Gargoyle_ and they turned to see the _Black Knight_ rushing forward. It wielded what appeared to be a sword in its left hand and was closing the gap between them with surprising ease.

" _It has a MASC unit…damn."_ Raylan thought, realizing the _Black Knight_ was probably highly customized. MASC units allowed a mech's main computer to send and receive signals to the myomer pseudo muscles that ran through the limbs and body of a chassis. Theoretically, this meant a pilot could move their mech faster than a non-MASC equipped unit.

The _Black Knight_ was within striking distance now and raked the _Gargoyle_ with a triple blast of medium lasers. More molten armor poured away as Raylan fired his SRMs at the encroaching mech. Most missed, but a few blew craters into the _Knight_ 's chest. It didn't seem to even notice the damage, however, as it drove the sword into Cary's mech with the horrific screech of metal on metal.

Raylan was blown away for a moment. Cary could have and should have easily dodged the attack, but she took it fully. Then it dawned on him as he watched the _Gargoyle_ wrap one of its cannon arms around the _Black Knight_ 's wrist.

"I've got this one, Viper 2. Get ready for the _Highlander_." Cary said as she leveled the other cannon at the _Black Knight_ 's helmeted head.

"Kind of goes against the plan, Viper Lead." Raylan said, smiling wickedly as he watched the first LBX shot rock the head backwards.

"Eh, I don't think so…." Cary said as she decapitated the 'mech and it fell away limply. Raylan looked at the sword sticking out of her side and watched as the _Gargoyle_ looked down as well. "…don't worry. It's nothing. No damage to anything critical."

"Good to know. Looks pretty ugly, though." Raylan replied as the _Highlander_ halted in its position just outside of the tree line. "Well, looks like they figured us out…"

"So it seems." Cary said before opening the full unit link "Viper 3, prepare to engage target on my mark…"

"Roger that Viper Lead, targeting." Clara said and Raylan could hear the beeping of the LRMs' tracking system over the commlink. "Target locked, Lead."

"Roger…" Cary said and she waited as the _Atlas_ and _King Crab_ came into view. "…mark."

The two forward Wolves stood statuesque as the flight of 30 missiles flew in a great arc over their shoulders and decimated the _Highlander_ from above. Trees exploded into showers of splinters as the great war machine buckled and dropped to one knee under the withering onslaught. Cary and Raylan only added more with laser and LBX fire to the storm.

The _Highlander_ managed to fire its gauss rifle, the ferronickel slug slamming into Cary's _Gargoyle_ and rocking it backwards.

"Man, everyone's picking on me today." She muttered as the _Highlander_ , or rather what was left of it, fell completely to the ground in a heap. The _Atlas_ and _King Crab_ paused for a moment, looking at their fallen comrade and then back at the two wolves in the clearing.

The _Atlas_ locked on to _Tala_ and sent a full salvo of its LRM-20 at Raylan as he threw the throttle forward. The missiles slammed into the _Timber Wolf_ , sending armor flying away from its chassis as Raylan's damage screen began blinking from its green and blues to yellows. Then he heard the roar and a moment later found the ground racing up to meet him.

The _Atlas_ ' AC-20 tore into Raylan's side, blowing a howl into the internal structure and sending the 'mech careening into the ground. Raylan fought to get the mech to its feet before the next wave hit him. A staggered round of 4 medium lasers tore into _Tala_ 's ravaged hide as he got up and tore into the assault mech with everything he had.

Raylan stole a glance at Cary, finding her in equally poor straights. The _King Crab_ was ripping into her _Gargoyle_ with savage ferocity, its twin AC-20's ripping the stout Clan mech's arm clean off of its body.

A second later, Raylan was in front of the behemoth. He planted his left foot and triggered his jets, hopping around to the side just as the autocannon rounds tore through the air where he had been. Raylan brought his laser up and sliced a deep gash into the _Atlas_ ' arm before hopping further behind it. His SRMs blasted into the _Atlas_ ' one weak area, the back, and the dreadnought took a stumbling step forward.

Then, the whole world was spinning and he heard glass cracking and popping. The _Atlas_ ' massive battlefist crashed into the side of _Tala_ 's cockpit and the whole thing seemed to cave in for a second before the glass exploded into a million splinters. The cold bit into him a moment before the shrapnel did, leaving his legs and arms bleeding.

Still, Raylan kept on his feet and bounced _Tala_ back on her jets. He stole another glance at Cary's fight and found the _King Crab_ practically standing over her.

"VIPER 3 FIRING SUPPORT ON VIPER LEADS TARGET! NOW!" He howled as he let the _Atlas_ have everything he had. The left shoulder popped and sagged and Raylan smiled to himself as he recognized the telltale sign of a blown actuator. Then the massive machine turned to face him again and the autocannon ripped into _Tala_ 's hip.

The _Timber Wolf_ dropped to one knee as alarms blared horrifically in the exposed cockpit. The sound echoed and reverberated in the open air and Raylan slammed the buttons to silence them as he fought _Tala_ to get her to her feet.

The lasers hit first, scouring his already tortured mech and boiling away still more armor. Then the SRM's connected with his arm and missile rack. The explosion of stored ammo was mostly contained by the CASE system installed within, but still rocked the _Timber Wolf_ sideways.

Raylan brought _Tala_ 's gunpods up weakly and fired, the lasers doing precious little as the _Atlas_ moved forward to finish him. The last blow had rocked Raylan sideways in his seat, slamming his head against his own neurohelmet. Blood poured from a fresh wound on his scalp and he could taste more in his mouth. He hadn't realized that the remaining glass of the cockpit had exploded inwards as well, two large shards embedded in his side. One more had cut through the seat and sliced open his neck.

Still, he managed a smile. Blood soaked and weary as it was, Raylan smiled at encroaching death. The _Atlas_ brought its autocannon up, level with the remains of _Tala_ 's head. Then, suddenly, a swarm of LRMs slammed into the _Atlas_ ' back and the beast stumbled again, causing the shot to go off course. Instead of blowing Raylan to kingdom come, the massive gun blasted the _Timber Wolf_ 's arm and shoulder mounted missile pod off.

The blow drove _Tala_ into the ground and Raylan slammed against the restraints of his seat with a fresh wave of shooting pain. Acrid smoke filled her cockpit and without even seeing the damage readout, Raylan knew his precious _Tala_ was on her last legs. He peered out the destroyed canopy and found Clara's _Mad Dog_ laying waste to the still exposed rear of the _Atlas_.

The massive unit lurched sideways for a moment then seemed to steady itself. The pilot, seeming to think Raylan was dead or unconscious, turned away to face Clara and he could see the ravaged remains of the _Atlas'_ back. With a grimace and a growl, Raylan forced _Tala_ back to her feet, his arms shaking as much as his mech's damaged legs.

He dropped the wavering reticule over the big mech's spine and fired, the remaining laser and missiles blowing the internal structure to pieces as he watched the mech's upper half collapse in on itself. Clara didn't waste anytime as she turned and sent a flight of missiles into the _King Crab_ that was threatening to obliterate Cary's _Gargoyle._ The massive assault chassis turned and sent a salvo from its twin AC-20's into Clara's _Mad Dog_ , ripping holes into the up until that point pristine chassis.

Cary fell back a few paces to try and catch her breath as Raylan limped his mech forward to try and help. He was fading quickly, the blood seeping from his body at an alarming rate. A few more minutes and he would be unconscious.

The _King Crab_ pushed forward heedless of either Cary or Raylan's fire and bit into Clara's mech with a ferocity he had never seen before. But Raylan wouldn't quit, not now. Even if only one of them made it off this miserable rock, he would die before he let this Remnant scum bring down his friend.

He launched everything he had at the _King Crab_ , finally getting its attention as its shoulder sparked and the arm connected hung limply at its side. The massive monster of a machine turned and leveled its remaining cannon at him and Raylan leapt sideways, feeling the nearly destroyed hip groan with protest as the _Timber Wolf_ 's feet met the ground again.

Luckily, this exposed the _Crab_ 's back to Cary, who took the opportunity with pleasure. Her remaining LBX tore a great hole in the 100-ton assault mechs chassis and it spun to face her then. Raylan fired his laser at it, exploiting the hole and heating the internal structure dangerously.

As it spun again, Clara put her lasers to work, the large pulse beams stabbing into the exposed back with ease as the behemoth dropped to the ground with a tremendous thud. Snow and dirt flew up around it as the engine within tore itself apart. Finally the beast stopped writhing all together and lay motionless as an eerie sense of calm overtook the chaotic battlefield.

He heard the echo of a pistol shot in the snowy wilderness and limped his 'mech towards where the techs were hidden. Raylan disembarked and dragged his bleeding body towards the APC that served as their mobile HQ and communications hub.

Upon opening the door, he found Arien lying in an expanding pool of blood next to a destroyed HPG unit. One of the techs held a still smoking pistol and looked at the bleeding form of Raylan as he walked woodenly into the room.

"I…I am sorry, Star Captain. Your bondsman, he…he was trying to…he contacted someone off planet. Wide band broadcast…I assume he was calling for help from his allies…so I…I…" The tech swallowed and stood up straighter. "…I shot him. I know it was not my place to do so. He was your bondsman but I did not want to risk the mission so I…"

Raylan finally held up a hand and took the pistol from the tech. He moved over to Arien who was weakly writhing and groaning on the ground.

"It is alright, tech. Tell me how much did he get out before you stopped him." Raylan asked, looking down unemotionally at the boy who stared up at him with defiance in his eyes.

"Just our position and what we found. He was going to report who we were but only managed to get out your name before I…well before I shot him. As I said, I apologize for my actions. I know it was your rite and I will accept any punishment you decide is justified."

"It is alright, tech. You did what was best for all of us. Besides…" Raylan said, readying the pistol and aiming it at Arien's head as the defiant look was replaced by absolute terror. "…he is not dead yet."

The pistol round blew the boys head apart in a disgusting mass of meat and bone. There was a tremor through his body and then nothing more. The pistol fell limply to his side and he sat down weakly on a cot, his body heavy and weak from blood loss. Cary ran in a moment later and surveyed the scene. She tried to say something to Raylan but he could barely make out her voice over the beating of his heart and, soon, darkness enveloped him completely.


	10. Chapter 9

…

 _No more dreams now Raylan of the Wolves. You have seen the hunters in the dark. You know the end and the beginning. The choice is yours now as to what you will do with this information._

 _The voice rang in his ears as the moon shone down on him and he stared up at it, the pale light of the star behind a false reflection of the symbol of the Clans._

 _"But what of the wolves. Who was the red…the sickly?" He asked, imploring the voice of nowhere to explain._

 _You know them already, Raylan of the Wolves. They are closer to you than any other. They are your life, your way and your home. They will fall or rise because of what happens in the coming weeks. They may have changed so much that you will barely recognize them and this may drive you away. But you will always be Raylan of the Wolves. They will never take that from you._

 _"I don't understand…" Raylan said, but already the light was dragging him forward unbidden._

 _Soon enough, you will…._

…

 **Chapter 9:**

 **Aboard Dropship** _ **Blackstone**_

 **Inner Sphere Space**

 **En Route to Arc Royal**

Raylan gasped under the oxygen mask as he came to and struggled for a moment before letting his body sag back into the bed. Soon, the pain and soreness set in and he wished he was still asleep. The voice still echoed in his mind and he used it to focus himself.

" _Soon enough, you will…_ " He thought and with growing anxiety added "… _have things truly changed so much since we've been gone?"_

Suddenly, a woman's face was over him, her blue eyes sparkling with pleasure.

"Well, good to see you back with us Captain. We were worried for awhile there."

"Who are you?" Raylan asked meekly, feeling the strength drain from his body with even just that little effort.

"Chief Medical Officer Sara Winters, though most people 'round here just call me "Doc"." She replied with a smile. "And before you ask, you're on the Dropship _Blackstone_ connected to the Jumpship _Dawn Machine_ headed for Arc Royal."

"You read my mind…so how…" He began but she rolled over on her seat again and stuck a hypodermic in the crook of his elbow.

"For the pain. And how long have you been asleep?" She asked and he nodded. "Well since we picked you up on that Kerensky forsaken rock. So about three weeks now. The date is November 21st, 3057 at…1743 hours."

"You are awfully good at this…" Raylan muttered studying her features carefully. Sara was fair of hair and complexion, and appeared to be in her late 30's. She gave him a steely look of disinterest.

"Don't think you're the first coma patient I've had, Captain. I've been doing this since I was 19. Both with the Grave Dancers and then the Cavalry after we splintered off from them. Oh, but you're not interested in that ancient history."

She paused and helped Raylan sit up in his bed before handing him a small plastic cup of water.

"Fair enough, my apologies. If I might ask, how long until we reach Arc Royal?" Raylan's head pounded like some giant was using it as a war drum.

"Probably within the next few weeks if all goes well. Not that it matters to you much." She paused and checked his charts again. "You probably won't be leaving this bed much for the next week at least."

"And the rest of my…lance?" He said, hoping that she would take his pause to be from pain and not a failure in his act.

"Colonel Vickers is no worse for wear, a few new scars including one on her cheek that I think makes her look quite dashing. Sergeant Hylan was a bit shaken but had no physical damage. Shame about your 'mechs though. All that lucky Clan salvage blown away by a bunch of pirates hiding in an old Star League hole…" She shook her head for a moment and then shrugged. "…oh well. It is what it is and nothing can be done about it now."

"Our 'mechs…how bad was the damage?" Raylan said, trying to swallow the lump in his throat as he recalled stumbling away from what amounted to the carcass of his once proud _Timber Wolf_.

"Well, I'm no tech but from my uneducated view I'd say it was an almost total loss. That _Mad Cat_ you were in might as well have been coming apart at the seams. The _Man O' War_ had a damned sword impaled through it and was bleeding coolant and radiator fluid like a faucet."

" _Damn you Cary…"_ Raylan thought, remembering her calling it in the field. She could have cooked herself alive with that type of damage.

"And the _Vulture_ is sans its left side. So I'd say a pretty total loss. Sorry, mechwarrior. Looks like you're disposed for now. Hope your contract pays well."

"Yea, me too…" Raylan muttered almost inaudibly. If Sara had heard, she didn't respond and went about her checks before leaving to get Cary and Clara. His two fellow Clan members entered and Clara embraced him in a much warmer way than he was used to.

"By Kerensky it's good to see you awake, Raylan." She said, taking a seat on the side of his bed while Cary stood at the foot smiling.

"That was damn fine work down there, Captain. I think you earned one of helluva special bonus when we get home." Cary said, winking with a broad smile on her lips. Raylan looked at her suspiciously and Clara leaned closer.

"Cary sent a transmission to the Dragoons to be sent to the Wolves…" Clara whispered in his ear, "…she put your name forward for a bloodname, Raylan. A Vickers bloodname."

Raylan's eyes went wide and he looked up at his commander unbelieving. She nodded to him firmly.

"You held that line against all odds and ensured our mission would be complete even after you were compromised. Speaking of which…" her voice dropped low, almost threatening. "…if what the techs say is true, your bondsman managed to at least get your name out. You know the other remnants will be coming after you now, right?"

"Yes. Do you still have the data?" He asked, looking at her flatly. Cary nodded and presented the drive. "Good, keep the logs and historical data. Put the map on a separate drive and give that to me. I am going to assume that is what they are truly after."

"Are you sure about this Raylan?" Clara asked, obviously concerned. "You will be painting a target on your own back."

"I am sure. It is my name that got compromised. If they do catch up to me and I do not have that data, they will just tear through everything and everyone to try and find it."

"This works out well, in any case. The word I received from the Dragoons was…not promising." Cary said as she sat down at the computer console and began to work. "It appears the split between Crusaders and Wardens is growing ever wider. Something has happened since we've been gone and it is not good."

"Any idea what that might be?" Raylan asked, grimacing as a shot of pain went up from his neck.

"Not yet. I asked for more information when they get back to me about your Bloodname." She finished the data portioning and handed him the new drive. "Anyway, I hear you're still on bedrest for at least the next week, _Captain_. So, I'll leave you and _Sergeant_ Hylan for now. I have to meet with Colonel Kain anyway. She's very interested in meeting the man who took down 6 'mechs in one battle, by the way. I guess you should expect visitors." With a wink, Cary left and Clara smiled widely at him.

"It's really good to see you again, Raylan. I mean it. By the time I made it into the MHQ, you looked like a poorly butchered animal. That wound on your neck was wide open but you wouldn't let go of that damn pistol." Clara said, letting out a sigh of relief as she recalled the scene.

"I'm guessing the Cavalry showed like a minute later as is usually the case?" Raylan muttered, perhaps too bitterly.

"No such luck. It was another hour before they landed. Luckily one of the techs had some medical training so they managed to stabilize you at very least until Doc Winters could get a look at you." Raylan noticed the bandage on her bicep and she caught his gaze. "Oh, this is nothing. Just a scrap from trying to claw out of the cockpit too fast."

"So…are our 'mechs really trashed?" He asked, almost dreading the answer. Solemnly, Clara nodded.

"There was nothing we could do for 'em. My _Mad…Vulture_ was the best off, but without any spare parts it was just excess weight. They're all laying in silent visage on Misery's End. Maybe we'll go back one day."

She leaned back slightly, staring up at the ceiling and smiling still. Raylan looked at her carefully and felt himself smile as well.

"Aren't you excited? You have a chance to…well it's a wonderful opportunity, isn't it?" She said, catching herself before she said too much.

"It is. I'm just not sure how they expect me to compete with no mech. Also, I haven't been through any preliminaries. It doesn't seem right to just jump in at the last minute."

"You won't be. Cary asked for you to be in the final four saying this Exodus we've been on has shown you more than capable and willing to go above and beyond for the Clan. I can't imagine them being against that. Especially since Cary sent them a copy of the battleROM with the message."

"It is the councils choice I suppose." Raylan said, staring up at the ceiling. Clara rested her hand on his wrist and gave him a weak smile.

"Worried about what's happening between the two factions." Raylan said nothing but gave a meek nod. "Me too. I heard rumors but I…well, they don't warrant mentioning. Not until we actually hear more."

Doc Winters came back in then and Clara stood up quickly, almost as if rising to attention. Winters looked at her and then at Raylan.

"Am I…interrupting something?" She asked, smiling slyly at them.

"No ma'am, nothing like that ma'am." Clara said quickly, the nerves obvious in her tone.

"Uh huh, sure. And it's Doc, kid. None of that ma'am shit here." Winters said before turning to Raylan. "The Colonel is on her way down here. She saw your battleROM, wants a private meeting."

"Am I….is this some type of investigation?" Raylan asked and Winters snorted a laugh.

"Nah, I think she just wants to see it herself. You mech jocks are all such a prideful lot. Her own record was 4 in one battle. And the Colonel's 'mech is far less elegant than yours." Doc Winters patted his leg and then led Clara out of the room.

Minutes passed by in silence, the hiss and beep of medical machinery Raylan's only company. Thoughts ran through his head at a rapid pace, the rumors Clara had mentioned, the possibility of a bloodname, what in the hell he was going to pilot now without _Tala_. He rubbed at his eyes, furious to the point of pain shooting in his temples.

The door hissed open again and Raylan propped himself up on his elbows. Striding in, Colonel Cassie Kain cut an imposing figure. She was tall, broad shouldered, and muscular. Her skin was dark offset by a criss-cross of scars.

"So, this is the man who killed 6 enemies in his mech and another outside, all while he was bleeding to death." She chuckled and leaned her hands on the end of his bed. "Don't look like much all wrapped up in that bed."

"Not much I can do about that, ma'am. Doc's orders." Raylan responded. "Besides, I was only following orders to ensure the mission was successful."

"Vicious and humble, odd combination for a merc. You know, I took down an entire lance of enemy mechs in my _Axman_ at the end of the Fourth Succession War."

"Doc mentioned something about that. Sounds impressive. Never did see an _Axman_ in combat. Saw its little brother though. Nasty little machine."

"Piloted a _Hatchetman_ too. Always liked the thing." Cassie paused and looked over his chart. "Looks like that pretty face of yours came out mostly unscathed. Neck and body will be scarred like a warrior though."

Raylan looked at her confused and she smiled, waving her hand as if to dismiss it.

"I'm a Rasalhague native. Lotta Old Norse blood there, like to think of ourselves a Vikings. Hell, my first unit was called the 5th Berserkers. But that was a long time ago now." She looked at him, seeming to scrutinize Raylan. "What about you, Captain? Where does your family come from?"

"Northwind." Raylan said remembering his cover persona without hesitation. "Flunked out of Highland Selection."

"Well, there's something to be said about joining an indie unit. You have any more or is it just the three Vipers?" Cassie asked and Raylan tightened his gaze into a glare.

"This an interrogation, Colonel?" He asked pointedly, barely hiding the harshness in his voice.

"Nothing of the sort." Cassie said, raising her hands defensively. "Always looking for new units to bring into the Cavalry."

"Well none of us would be much help there. No mechs."

"Damn shame about that. Whoever your techs are must be wizkids to get that Clan tech to respond to you so well." She chuckled. "Anyway, once you're up and mobile again, I'd love to see what you're made of in the SimPods."

"I'll take you up on that challenge, Colonel." The pair shook hands and the Colonel left, leaving Raylan alone with his thoughts once more.

The next week and a half passed by quickly and Raylan was soon out of bed on shaky legs. His body was a torn mess of bandages and stitch work. He had certainly earned his striped this time. Injury was a part of life for warriors and during his time with the Ghost Bears, he had heard many of them discussing tales of how they had earned their own marks. Maybe someday, the battle of Misery's End would be one of those tales as well.

Clara had visited him nearly everyday and now, after he had left the medwing of the massive _Overlord-_ class dropship, she stayed by his side almost without fail. It was slightly jarring, but Raylan enjoyed the company. Her presence also seemed to help Raylan's anxiety subside which, given what was going through his mind, threatened to drive him insane.

"So, Raylan, I hear the Colonel's been itching to get you into the SimPods. Sounds like she's getting pretty impatient too." Clara said chuckling as they sat in the messhall.

"Chomping at the bit from what I heard." Cary added with a laugh and Raylan sighed.

"I guess I should probably go and take care of that wager she and I have." Raylan muttered, eating the processed "meat" the cafeteria was serving. It was another two days until they reached the _Dawn Machine_ , but after that the end of their journey would be nearly at hand.

"This I would pay to see." Cary said. "I'm absolutely curious to see what that _Axman_ of the Colonel's can do."

Raylan made his way to the officers table and nodded to the others before locking eyes with Colonel Cassie Kain.

"I believe we have a battle to run, Colonel. Are you ready?" He asked and she smiled broadly.

"Always, Captain. Follow me." He walked with the Colonel and was followed not only by Cary and Clara but three other mechwarriors from the Cavalry. "I had the techs load in an approximation of that _Mad Cat_ you piloted on Misery's End, Captain. Let me know if its not up to muster and we'll wait until it is to fight."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Colonel. Thank you." They stopped in front of Raylan's pod and shook hands. "Good luck and good hunting, Colonel."

"You too, Captain." She left and Raylan crawled inside the pod with a slight wince of pain. His ribs were still sore and the stiches had been removed for the most part but the scars still showed red from pain.

The pod booted up and he listened to the familiar sound of the power up sequence. A simulated display of _Tala'_ s HUD loaded in and he checked the weapons load out, nodding to himself.

"How's she look, Captain?" The colonel's voice came over the speakers making Raylan jump slightly.

"Perfect, just as I remember her." He replied with a smile.

"Good. Now before we start, and this is a secure channel so don't worry, I know how this works for your people."

"I'm…I'm sorry, Colonel I don't follow." Raylan replied and there was a slight chuckle.

"Please, Raylan, I've fought in too many wars and too many enemies to not see who you are, _Star Captain_."

Raylan felt a knot in his stomach and swallowed hard. He stumbled over his words for a moment and the Colonel cut him off before his response could come.

"Don't worry, Raylan. My intelligence crew broke the code on that message your friends sent and found it came from beyond the periphery. Though your response does more or less confirm their conclusion." There was a pause. "Look, we got paid to drop you all off and that's what we're going to do. It's none of my business what the Clans are doing here but I doubt a new invasion is gonna start from three disposed mechwarriors a looong way from home. Besides, the invasion is over. Both of our people fought well and I know how important honor is to your kind."

"You have me at a disadvantage, Colonel. I will admit I am more than a little surprised." Raylan said and Cassie laughed.

"That's the idea of counterintelligence, Star Captain. Anyway, you're the hunted, if I recall the terminology correctly, so you get to choose the battlefield." She said and Raylan let out a sigh of relief. This mercenary, while fitting the money hungry merc persona to a T, was full of surprises.

"Very well, Colonel. Then we shall recreate the death knell of the invasion." The exterior shuddered until the fields of Tukayyid shifted into view. Besides the obvious symbolism, Raylan also knew that the Colonel's _Axman_ would be at a disadvantage. The chassis was built for city fighting and not long distance..

"Well bargained and done." There was a tone and Raylan brought _Tala_ into a trot, circling the exterior of the battlefield while watching the Colonel's _Axman_ move in cautiously.

Suddenly an azure bolt of plasma lanced out at range and slammed into Raylan's side. The crackle of lightning buzzed over his chassis and Raylan grit his teeth.

" _What in the name of Kerensky was that? That chassis does not carry PPCs…"_ Raylan thought as he changed his tactic and ran serpentine towards his opponent. He fired his lasers and watched the golden beams slash deep burning gashes into the _Axman_ 's chest. A massive flight of dummy missiles flew at Raylan and he stomped on his jets, leaping to the side.

"Like those? New experimental tech. Probably won't see full production 'til next year."

"Kind of reminds me of these, actually." Raylan said, sending his own flight of missiles at the _Axman._ The Colonel leapt aside as well and fired her PPC again. They were within range for full visual confirmation now and Raylan could see the _Axman_ 's horrible namesake. He didn't want to be anywhere within the blades range and decided to make that a priority.

Raylan knew he had the speed factor in _Tala_ , and could run circles around the _Axman_. There was a horrible sound like a metal scream and the _Axman_ lurched forward in a dead sprint.

"It has a MASC system!?" Raylan shouted to himself as he slammed on his jump jets reflexively, trying to put as much distance between himself and the Colonel as he could. He fired the lasers and felt the heat wash over him. The ax was swinging now, the entire chassis of the _Axman_ spinning with the motion as the blade crushed _Tala_ 's leg with explosive force.

Raylan landed rough, the damaged knee of his _Timber Wolf_ groaning in protest as Cassie stood the _Axman_ back to full height and sent a trio of medium pulse lasers into his chest.

Raylan responded with another swarm of SRM's, watching as the warheads detonated across the _Axman_ 's body. Ceramic armor flew away in great cartwheels but the Colonel barely seemed to notice. The PPC slammed home again, bending _Tala_ over from the impact alone and Raylan could do nothing but watch as the ax came up again. He chuckled as he read the engraving on the ax's handle.

"Til Valhalla…" He muttered as the blade came down straight on his simulated cockpit and the simulation ended. Raylan let out a sigh at watching _Tala_ come apart underneath him again but let the hatch open with a smile.

"Good fight, Captain." Cassie said shaking his hand with a wide smile. "Glad to see I've still got it against a real opponent. Took my chest armor down to the redline."

"Didn't seem to matter much in the end. That name sake ax was way more devastating than I expected. Plus that 'mech was one helluva custom job."

"Yeah, _Brynhildr_ is the result of a number of years and a whole lot of c-bills put into her. She might as well be a totally knew mech now."

"You fight extremely well, Colonel." Cary said, coming over after watching the feed from the pods. "I'd love to hear how you learned and were you trained."

"Maybe one day, I'll fill you in." Cassie said with a smile. "But before that, I believe the four of us have something to discuss that's much more pressing. Follow me Viper's."

Cary shot a glance to Raylan, who shrugged even though he already knew were the discussion was headed. They followed the Colonel to her office and sat when she motioned for them to get comfortable.

"Well, I'll come right out and say it. _Captain_ Raylan probably already knows what this is about, but I think it's only fair to say it to all of you. I know you're clanners." Cassie held up her hand before Cary could say anything. "And, that's all I know. Personally, it doesn't really matter to me one way or the other. I'm being paid to ferry the three of you to Arc-Royal so that's what I'm going to do. That being said, I'd be a damned poor commander not to ask what's waiting for me there. I would really prefer not flying my crew into a warzone if it's all the same to you."

"Well, ma'am, I can assure you there won't be anything like that waiting for us on Arc Royal. The Dragoons are ensuring that the Kell Hounds know you're dropship is coming so as to avoid any…unfortunate accidents. They don't know why we're coming however. Or that we are Clan Wolf." Cary said finally, after composing herself for a moment after the shock.

"So you're walking into an unknown zone with only the hopes of friendly communication and that Morgan Kell's familial ties will garner you some sort of…what, support? I hate to say it, but I think you're walking yourselves into the lion's den."

"So what, do we just abandon the mission? Leave the Wolves to their fate?" Clara asked, the anger in her voice rising uncontrolled.

"No, but I want you to consider that you should have a plan other than just blind hope. Morgan is a man of honor, even for a merc. You should be able to convince him pretty easily with the right choice of words." Cassie offered, holding up her hands in defense.

"Any suggestion on what words to use, exactly?" Raylan asked, leaning against the wall next to the door.

"Something along the lines of warriors in need, refugees fleeing their home. Basic things to call to the warrior in him. I'm sure you'll be able to figure that out. All three of you seem capable." Cassie leaned back and gave them all a smile. "Now, let me ask you another question. Any thought on what you plan on doing after your mission is over? As I recall, the operation you three have been under is considered _dezgra_ by Clan standards. I doubt they'll let you just waltz back in to Clan Society."

"I…what? No, we were under Clan sanctions. We…we were under orders. Right?" Clara asked, suddenly taken aback as she turned to Cary. "Right?"

All eyes fell on Cary and Raylan pushed himself off the wall, suddenly cautious of what might come from what the Star Captain might have to say.

"We as a unit are to make our way to the Kell Hounds, contact them and alert them to the trouble Clan Wolf is in. The change after current developments is that Star Captain Raylan will participate in his Trial of Bloodname. After that…" Cary paused "…after that, it will be up to the Clan Council to determine whether or not we will be allowed to rejoin the Clan as warriors or at all."

"Are you serious?" Clara asked quietly, scoffing in complete unbelieving skepticism. "Why…no way…why would you not tell us that from the start? That was _NEVER_ in the briefing Cary."

"Would you seriously have come along if you knew there was a possibility we would all be casteless by the end of it?" Cary retorted Raylan said nothing but could feel his fists knotting white knuckled. "I decided I would keep it secret until it needed to come up. I guess that time is needed."

"I can't believe this! You are telling me I not only lost my 'mech but may have lost my rank, my caste and station too? Do we even have a home to return to?" Clara was raving know and Raylan moved swiftly next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder gently, but firm enough to leave no protest.

"Cary, in your honest opinion, what chance do we have of being welcomed back into the Clan." Raylan asked, locking eyes with his commander without faltering.

"Well, I doubt they'd offer you a Trial of Bloodname if they weren't at least considering it." Cary responded with a slight shrug.

"Fair enough." Raylan said, patting Clara on the shoulder gently as she turned her gaze to look at him. "We've just gotta go along with this. See it to the end. And I'll be right here no matter what."

Clara gave him a meek nod and turned her eyes to the floor, the color drained from her face. Colonel Kain spread her hands in front of her.

"I don't mean to cause any tension for you all, I just wanted us all to be on the same page before we make landfall." She paused and leaned back in her seat. "Look, your secret is safe with me…and the Doc probably but either way that's your business. Now go make yourself comfortable. We'll be hooking up with the _Dawn Machine_ in a few hours and then we'll be on the last stretch of the path."

The three Clan Wolf members moved to leave and just as Raylan made his way to the door, Cassie stood from her desk.

"A moment, Raylan." She said, more of a command than a question. Raylan stopped and turned to face her.

"What can I do for you Colonel?" Raylan asked, turning back to face the woman.

"Look, I won't pretend to understand how your culture or traditions work but I do know being gone from your unit and things can change much more than you expect. I don't mean to offend of course, but you've got talent kid. A lot of it and the kind I could use. If things don't work out…here.." Cassie handed him a memstick. "Give it a read over when you've got a chance. No pressure of course, it has a link to my contact line should you choose to act on it."

"I…"Raylan started but then nodded. "…thank you ma'am, I'll give it a look at some point."

"Good. Now get out of here and get strapped in. The _Dawn Machine_ will be ready to go by the time we hook in." Cassie said and Raylan gave a slight nod before exiting.

Even now he could hear Cary talking to Clara as quietly as possible but nothing Cary did was having any sort of calming effect on Clara. As Raylan rounded the corner he could hear his teammate hyperventilating and caught her by the shoulders. He pushed her back to full height and looked right into her eyes.

"Clara, look at me, I know this is a shock but I'm right here. We're still here after everything we've done and seen. And we're almost home again. But you have to hold it together, alright? Can you do that for me?" She nodded, taking a big gulp of air into herself and then nodded again stronger.

"I…I think I need to go lay down…" She muttered and Raylan nodded, patting her shoulders.

"Do what you need. Want any help getting to your room?" He asked and Clara shook her head as she wandered away. Raylan fixed his eyes on Cary. "Would've been nice to know we might be caste out after we return Star Captain."

"Would you have been so willing to come along if you'd known?" She asked back crossing her arms over her chest.

"You know damn well I would've. I'm loyal to the Clan, to the Wolf no matter the cost. But we're supposed to be a team, Cary. And I've never seen Clara have an anxiety attack like that." Raylan said motioning to the direction that Clara had gone off in.

"Is her well being more important than the mission to you, Raylan?" Cary asked, a mischievous grin on her face.

"As a matter of fact, yes. She's been with me for nearly my entire career. And I don't want to see her hurt or worse because of a consequence she wasn't aware of." Raylan stated it as a fact, rather than play into Cary's implication.

"And you? Where you aware of the consequences?" She asked. "You seem pretty calm, all things considered."

"I've had my suspicions, Cary. I knew this was a high-risk operation and not just because of the fact we ran into an unknown enemy but because of the distance from the Clan. To be perfectly honest, even if the Council decides we are able to return I am not sure it will be the same Clan we left or if I will even want to rejoin it."

"Dangerous talk, Raylan." Cary said, her eyes tightening. "Never thought I would hear that from you."

"We all knew the schism was coming, Cary. It has been inevitable since the dawn of Crusaders and Wardens but now…" Raylan paused, trying to formulate the thoughts that had plagued him for so long. "…the Clan is so different. When I passed through the sibko I never thought I would see the day Clan Wolf had to flee rather than fight. I cannot say I agree."

"It is not our place to question, Raylan. Only to do." Cary responded.

"Is it not? You are a council member. And I soon will be. I feel it is directly our place to question." Raylan shot back.

"We must live to uphold the Clan way, no matter our personal feelings." Cary said taking a step forward. Thrusting a finger at Raylan's chest. "That is our duty and our purpose."

"The Clan Way? And what, pray tell, is that exactly anymore? We are supposed to be defenders of Terra and the Inner Sphere. Instead, we flee to it and possibly bring the Falcon threat with us. Are we to hold the Crusaders at Arc Royal with whatever remains of Clan Wolf until we can manage to rebuild far from the Clan homes and tech?" Raylan responded, taking his own step forward. "Face it, Cary, the Clan we fought and bled for is dead or dying and we can do nothing but watch."

There was a tense silence between them then and it felt like nothing could defuse the situation. Raylan could see Cary's jaw working, the muscles bunching with tension as he felt his own fists balling to white knuckles. In the time since they left the Clan, the three had done nothing but trip all over each other whether intentionally or not. Until this last leg and this newest revelation, they had made the best out of it but the tension seemed to be quickly reaching a boiling point.

"It does not make a difference now. We will be on Arc Royal soon, then meet with Morgan Kell and bring the Clan home. We can…discuss our differing opinions on the status of the Clan when we see it for ourselves." Cary said, and both mechwarriors let out a harsh breath.

"Fair enough. I do not think any of us will be happy with what we find, however, one way or another." Raylan said before turning and heading off to find Clara again, leaving Star Captain Vickers to stew in her own frustration and confusion.

Clara was in her bunk when Raylan entered and sat down next to her. He put a hand on her shoulder and sighed heavily.

"Clara, you know its gonna work out one way or another." He said softly and she gave a sheepish shrug. "Come on, we've been through worse."

"Have we? Cause I can't seem to remember any time that was worse. We could lose _everything_ Raylan. We could come back to not even having a home…" Clara said, her voice hoarse.

"We fought on Tukayyid, Clara, we stared down so many enemies that most others would wish for the career opportunities we have had." Raylan paused and rolled her over so they were looking at each other. "And even if the council decides to remove us, I will be right beside you. We will be together even if we have to walk the periphery alone."

"You really are terrible at inspiring confidence in outcomes, Raylan." Clara said with a small laugh. "It is nice to know that you will have my back if the worst comes to worse."

"Of course. Look, we've got a few days left before we hit Arc Royal. Try and get some sleep and relax, alright? I'll be in my bunk if you need anything." Raylan said and stood up to leave but Clara grabbed his wrist.

"Thank you, Raylan. Really." Clara said and he nodded, giving her a small smile in return.

Raylan walked to his own bunk room and flopped back onto the rather hard mattress. He sighed and covered his eyes with crossed arms. He let out a long sigh and then swung himself into a sitting position on the edge of his bed.

Raylan pulled out his PDA and stuck the memstick into the small slot on its side. After a moment, a file loaded in and he read over the offer carefully.

It was more than generous and actually gave him pause for a moment. Even the clause at the end seemed like Colonel Kain was sold on bringing Raylan into her unit one way or another. It was practically an open offer. Plus being paid to pilot as well as getting a new battlemech, even if it was Inner Sphere tech was enough that he stored the thought away to be determined when the time came.

The attaching process went over smoothly and soon enough he felt his entire body being compressed from three dimensions to two and then to one before blinking out of existence altogether. There was a long moment of disorientation as the ship tore through space and time before returning to existence.

Raylan felt his stomach lurch for a moment before his mind and body caught up to each other. He breathed out and stood, making his way to the observation deck of the dropship. Below them, spinning slowly on its axis was the planet Arc Royal, and their final destination. Raylan leaned up against the railing in front of the window and let out a deep sigh. He couldn't wait for this mission to be over and put the whole thing behind him, one way or another.

It would be another three day trip to the planet, and it gave him plenty of time to mull over the choices that awaited him. Raylan decided to try something Cole and Marissa had shown him during his time with the Ghost Bears.

Raylan moved around the guard rail, standing on the small circular platform in front of the vast abyss of space and kneeled, bowing his head and focusing inwardly. His breathing slowed, his heart beat in rhythm and he was drifting amongst the cosmos.

Time lost all meaning to him and when he opened his eyes again, the planet of Arc Royal loomed closer. He checked the wall clock and found that almost 12 hours had passed without him noticing and Raylan stood with slight soreness in his limbs. He felt at once centered in himself and focused on what he would be facing soon. He heard a ping from his PDA and pulled it from his pocket.

A message blinked at him with a slowly spinning red circle emblazoned with a black roaring wolf's head. The Dragoons certainly didn't waste time and Raylan was thankful. It seemed, regardless of the council's decision, he would be allowed to participate in the last rounds of the Trial of Bloodname. A smile passed his lips and Raylan felt confident he would soon have a place amongst the named warriors of history.

Raylan gave one more look at Arc Royal as it loomed in the viewscreen. He was confident as he turned and left the room. His path was set now and Raylan knew, regardless of what the Inner Sphere held for him, he would face it head on.

… **..**


	11. Chapter 10

… **..**

 **Chapter 10:**

 **Planet Arc Royal**

 **Clan Wolf in Exile Temporary Base**

 **December 8** **th** **, 3057**

 **0645 Hours**

Raylan stood in the open hangar door of the quickly constructed base the remains of Clan Wolf had thrown up in order to store the first of their omnimechs to arrive. He had beaten his first opponent in a battlemech brawl in the Clan _Kit Fox_. He had picked the location that time, having lost the coin toss.

This time, however, he had won and chosen to fight in a Heavy chassis, something closer to his _Timber Wolf_ he had lost on Misery's End. In truth, Raylan had hoped he would be put into another _Wolf_ but the choice wasn't his.

Instead, Raylan looked back at the _Ebon Jaguar_ , or _Cauldron Born_ as the Inner Sphere had come to call it. He had very little time to familiarize himself with its loadout and controls but he had spent the better part of the morning in a SIMpod to prepare himself.

His mech was an Alternate Configuration D, the medium range brawler of the _Ebon Jaguar_ armament. Raylan knew he would have to finish the battle quickly, the configs ammunition bins were woefully inadequate for long term fighting.

Raylan watched as the sun crested over the horizon, its red rays casting shadows long and unnatural and it made Raylan's nerves more frayed. He turned his head to his left as his head tech walked up cautiously.

"It is time, sir." She said calmly and Raylan nodded turning and making his way up into the _Cauldron Born'_ s cockpit. The system booted up and LED lights showed him the displays for weapons, armor and systems. The squat form of the 'mech made its way onto the field and he watched as his opponent, another Star Captain named Ross, moved to match him.

"Are you ready to die, coward?" Ross called over the radio and Raylan chuckled as he locked onto the _Summoner_.

"Only if you are, Ross." He called back and thought about the situation. Ross was in a 'mech 5 tons heavier and with longer reach. He would have to get in close and pound the _Summoner_ into submission.

"I am the Oathmaster. You two are the best of the best and honor those who have come before you. Your deeds and actions have cemented your place within the Clan history forever more. But now, only one may claim the Vickers name. Raylan, you are the Hunter and have been granted choice of means. Ross, as Hunted you have chosen the field of battle. It is yours. You may begin when ready." An elder of the Clan Council said.

Raylan gunned his engine and rushed forward, trying to move in a serpentine motion to avoid giving Ross an easy lock-on with his LRM's the _Summoner_ carried on its shoulder. The heavier mech lanced out with its PPC, the false lightning ionizing the air with burning ozone as it slammed just short of the _Cauldron Born_. Raylan responded with his twin Ultra Autocannon 10s. The hypervelocity slugs raced forward, blasting dirt as he walked the rounds up onto the _Summoner_ 's legs.

Explosions tore armor plating from the _Summoner_ 's lower left leg up until it blew armor off around the knee joint. Ross moved forward now to, and Raylan heard the familiar warning siren as a flight of LRM's sailed into the air and raced towards him. The warheads blasted armor off Raylan's chassis but he was closing faster than the _Summoner_ could contend with.

The PPC ripped into the _Cauldron Born_ 's side, leaving a burning gash in its side. Raylan blasted into the Ross' chest, the Ultra Autocannon 10 rounds ripping into the armor and the rapid fire follow up salvo ate into the internal structure beneath. Ross counteracted this by twisting away and bringing its LBX-10 to bare. The mech mounted shotgun ripped one of the shoulder weapon pods completely off and Raylan gritted his teeth.

Raylan fired his autocannons again and was about to deliver the rapid fire weapons second salvo but the weapons jammed as they overheated. Raylan cursed and fired the pair of ER Medium Lasers into the exposed structure. The _Summoner_ 's internals superheated, melting and collapsing in on itself as the left arm jettisoned away.

The explosion rocked the Ross' mech violently but he stomped on the jump jets in the _Summoner_ 's back and leapt backwards. Another flight of LRMs lanced at Raylan's mech and he did his best to avoid their warheads. More than he would have liked found their marks and more armor sailed away from his _Cauldron Born_ in horrific arcs. The weapons loadout still marked the Ultra Autocannons as jammed and he cursed again, slapping the weapons' firing stub until an audible click echoed in his ears.

The weapons cleared and he lined them over the _Summoner_ 's round shoulder mounted launcher. The rapid fire, hypervelocity explosives found their mark and the unfired warheads began to go critical. To Ross' credit, he did manage to jettison a good portion of the ammunition. It didn't prevent the ammo explosion from savaging the majority of the chassis. CASE system or not, the warheads carved armor and internal structure away as the chassis was knocked prone.

Raylan marched forward and placed his 'mech's clawed foot down onto the _Summoner_ 's chest before leveling his gunpod at its cockpit. This time there was no hesitation from Raylan as he thumbed the trigger for the autocannons again and the cockpit evaporated under the withering firepower. A siren sounded and the combat was over. Raylan marched his _Cauldron Born_ back to the hangar with a smile and a sigh of relief.

He had won and would now be bloodnamed, earning his place in the Clan breeding program and earned what basically amounted to immortality. Still, Raylan felt uneasy for some reason. His eyes scanned over the logo of Clan Wolf in Exile, as they had begun to call themselves and an involuntary shudder crawled up his spine. The mottled grey wolf seemed to stare at him, its red eyes burning straight through his soul.

The image of the sickly wolf from his dreams crawled back into his mind and Raylan did his best to force it away. Still, the thought persisted and he snarled to himself. It wasn't exact, but Raylan couldn't help but see the resemblance. It didn't help that after the Kell Hounds had brought back Khan Phelan and his Wolves, they had found out that both Khan Natasha Kerensky and Ulric Kerensky had been killed. Raylan felt the grief of the Clan as much as he thought possible.

"Star Captain Raylan, you are victorious. You have shown you possess the will of the Clans and the heart of a warrior. You have earned the bloodname Vickers. Report to the base to be granted this honor." The Oathmaster said over the radio as Raylan enter the hangar and powered down the _Cauldron Born_.

Raylan left the hangar and made his way slowly to the base after stripping himself out of his cooling vest and gear and pulling on his Clan Wolf dress uniform. He smiled in spite of his growing apprehension and entered the ceremonial hall. The room was practically pitch black besides a spotlight outlining a massive form n the far end of the room. The canine snout of the ceremonial wolf mask created an even more imposing silhouette and Raylan felt a chill he hadn't felt since he first became a warrior.

"Warriors! Near and far, living and dead lend me your ears. Today is a great day for our Clan. We have found a true warrior, one who possesses the heart of the Wolf." The voice boomed in the dark space as Raylan came to a halt in front of him. "I am the Oathmaster and this conclave will bind us all until we are dust."

"Seyla…"A chorus of what seemed to be hundreds of voices echoed all around him.

"Star Captain Raylan, you have shown time and time again that you are a warrior with few equals. You have succeeded in operations many would falter and followed your orders even when the cost was beyond what many would find acceptable. Even now, in the Clan's darkest hour, you have shown that you will do anything to see your mission to the end. Step forward."

Raylan did so and bowed his head to the figure. They pulled a pin from a tray and placed it on Raylan's chest.

"From this day forward, you will be recognized in the halls of Warriors by the bloodname of your ancestors. You are now Raylan Vickers and with accepting this honor, you also take on all the responsibilities of a Bloodnamed warrior. Do you accept these rights and responsibilities?"

"Aff Oathmaster. On my honor." Raylan said, keeping his head bowed.

"Then let all here and beyond recognize you as Star Captain Raylan Vickers! Your knife…" The Oathmaster said, holding his hand out as Raylan handed the man the silver, wolf pommeled blade hilt first. The man in the mask took the blade and drew it across Raylan's palm quickly, the razor-sharp blade leaving a superficial wound in his skin that bled quickly. The blood dripped into a ceremonial chalice and the Oathmaster thrust the bleeding hand into the air. "…with this blood, you are bond to the history of our Clan and hold the future in your own! So it shall be until we all shall fall!"

"Seyla!" The cheer went up around him and Raylan smiled to himself, standing as tall as he could as the lights went out and then all turned on a moment later.

As the crowd cleared out, Cary came up and embraced Raylan tightly. She took a step back and smiled broadly as Clara embraced him as well.

"So, how do you feel Star Captain Vickers?" Cary asked, beaming with pride. Raylan smiled back.

"Probably as good as you do, Star Colonel? That promotion must feel nice." Raylan shot back jokingly.

"Well, I can not say how I feel about it in truth, given the current state of affairs." She responded. "The Council meeting to determine our fate is scheduled to take place in the next few days. Clara has been summoned to testify on our behalf."

"I am honored to provide such a service." Clara said, also smiling but obviously uncomfortable.

"Anyway, I am needed elsewhere. Try and relax some, Star Captain. You will certainly need it." Star Colonel Cary Vickers said, waving as she wandered away.

Clara took a step closer to Raylan and put her hand on his shoulder. She smiled warmly at him and motioned for him to follow, which he did happily.

"I am happy for you, Raylan. You have earned an honor many only dream of." She said, not looking at him.

"It is an honor I hope I am worthy of." Raylan responded. "But I get the feeling that is not why you wish to speak to me, Clara."

"True…" Clara let out a sigh. "I am thankful that the Clan has been so welcoming to us for the moment. The "gift" of a new battlemechs was also a welcome surprise, but I can not help but feel this was meant to placate us while they determine our fate."

"I agree with you. The generosity does seem out of place if they plan on exiling us in a few days regardless." Raylan said as they moved towards the barracks.

"That too bothers me. This…"Clara said, motioning around her with wide arms. "…does not feel like the Clan Wolf we left. More like a shell of itself."

"Or a sick animal…" Raylan said as they entered his bunk room. "…I am honored by their generosity but I do not know if I am completely comfortable with the way Khan Phelan plans to move this…Clan Wolf in Exile."

"I still cannot believe both Khan Natasha and Ulric Kerensky were struck down. It feels like a bad dream." Clara said shaking her head while Raylan changed out of his dress uniform and into more comfortable clothing. She couldn't help but look at Raylan's muscled body and form in admiration but averted her eyes quickly. "I do not think anything will ever be the same for us…"

"Aff, Clara…but we will survive. You and I are Wolves. Nothing can stop our hunt until we meet our end." Raylan said, giving her a small smile.

"And what if our hunt is already over? I have heard rumors that the Sphereoids will be practically holding us prisoner here. We will not be allowed to move without supervision."

"I highly doubt Khan Phelan will let that sit. Besides, the Inner Sphere will need us." Raylan said back, turning to face her completely. She stepped forward and he rested his hand on her shoulder now, smiling softly to try and comfort her. "You and I are stronger than anything this universe can throw at us, Clara, and I am with you to the stars end."

"I am glad, Raylan. I…I really would be lost without you here." Clara said, smiling back at him and Raylan felt a warmth in his chest he wasn't used to. "Anyway, come on. Wouldn't want to miss our run, now would we?"

"I suppose not. After you." Raylan said, closing the door to his bunk room behind them. They headed outside and stretched out. Raylan was still surprised by Arc Royal IV, although it wasn't in the way he expected. The continent Clan Wolf in Exile had been allowed to settle on was barren for the most part, but still beautiful. Even now, in early December, the temperature was bearable if more than a little brisk. Raylan could imagine what the world must be like in spring or summer, although he didn't know if her would be here to find out.

The pair jogged around the bases exterior twice, making idle chit chat about their previous few months and adventures before that as well. It was a nice break from the break-neck speed they had been running at for months. Raylan was undoubtedly nervous about what the council would decide. Even if he felt like this wasn't the same Clan he had left behind, it was still his.

The offer from Colonel Cassie Kain also still held a place in his mind and he mentioned it in passing to Clara who simply shrugged at the idea. She gave him a similar answer to the one he had given her on the Cavalry's dropship; that she would follow him regardless of what happened.

Perhaps the time away from the Clan and the act they had been performing to reach Arc Royal, Raylan relished the thought of the freedom joining Kain's Cavalry would give him. This desire grew as he thought about the thought Clara had placed in his mind that their new Inner Sphere hosts would hold them on this continent indefinitely.

With the Council meeting looming ahead of them and the battles he left behind, Raylan once again found himself using Star Colonel Woods' meditation technique to re-center himself. He asked the voice that had guided his dreams to come back to him, to guide him to what he should do moving forward. Only silence answered him and Raylan knew he would have to make this choice on his own.

Raylan swam in the darkness, feeling the ebbs and flows of the cosmos around him as time once again lost all meaning. He opened his eyes hours later and made his way to the hangar. If the _Cauldron Born_ was to be his, he would be sure to make it his own.

Raylan gave the tech his orders for modifications and cosmetics before climbing back into the cockpit. He pulled his PDA out and looked over the files they had taken from the Star Remnants once again. He still wasn't sure what to do with the information, but knew he needed a copy if and when the Remnants came for him again. Raylan was sure the mysterious force would hunt him down which gave him another thought on the future that awaited him.

Days passed and Raylan fell into a routine of his own as the Clan began to start building its home on Arc Royal. Raylan did what he could to help with the process, although many seemed to give him a wider berth than he was used to. Meanwhile, he and Clara became even more inseparable than they had been previously. The warmth in his chest grew and he swore that he saw more than a few odd glances from Clara in his direction but he decided that it wasn't something to bring up now.

His _Cauldron Born_ , now nicknamed "Ghira", was coming along and its weapons loadout was a confusing mix of brawling and range. Raylan missed _Tala_ horribly, and wanted nothing more than to gather a team and return to Misery's End in order to retrieve the "corpse" of his fallen mech but let the thought go with a sigh of resignation.

As the time passed, Raylan also came to a decision on what he would do and was prepared when the Council finally called the meeting to determine Vickers' Vipers fate. The hall filled with members and Raylan took his seat next to Cary as Clara took the witness stand. Clara gave her testimony as honestly as she could and ignored the gasps and sneers from many of the council as she continued.

"In your opinion, Mechwarrior Clara, do you find your actions to be within standards of the Clan?" The council member who was more or less interrogating Clara asked.

"I believe we were under orders from our superiors, sir. It would have been _dezgra_ to ignore such a request from a superior even if it meant walking a fine line between the Clan way and…other means."

"And if we told you that your unit would be removed from the Clan because we find your actions to be _dezgra_ regardless?"

"Then I will respect that decision and walk my path separately. I honor my Clan and will follow its will regardless of personal loss or gain, sir. I must say, however, it seems like a grave waste of time and resources to grant us new battlemechs, ranks and promotions only to kick us out afterwards."

"We shall see, Mechwarrior." The interrogator said as he provided closing arguments. The issue was then put to a vote and the tally was soon concluded. It was close, but the other members determined Vickers' Vipers had operated within the Clan way and would be allowed to remain members of it. As the chamber began to filter out and Raylan felt the tension in his chest grow, he approached the senior members of the council before they exited.

"Begging your pardons, I have an issue I must discuss with you." He said, waiting for them to acknowledge him.

"And what would that be, Star Captain Vickers?" One of the seniors asked, somewhat annoyed at the delay.

"During our time on Misery's End, we stumbled upon an ancient armory from the Great Exodus. It contained incredible information that could be an incredible boon to our cause." He paused. "It also had a route straight to Terra. I am sure I do not need to explain the threat this would be if it ever fell into the hands of our opponents."

"Neg, you do not. I still fail to see why you are bringing this up again, Star Captain. Mechwarrior Clara already explained all of this."

"Aff, sir, except for the part a bondsman I had taken had betrayed his bond. He compromised my name and what I possess. I fear that the others of his kind will be hunting me and I have no desire to bring a war to our Clan's door while we are in the process of rebuilding."

"What are you saying, Star Captain?"

"I am saying, sir, that with your permission, I would like to leave Clan Wolf in Exile in order to prevent harm from coming to it. I will leave a copy of the information I have, if you wish of course, but with the original files on my PDA I will remove myself from the Clan and move as far away as possible."

"You would willingly leave the Clan behind?"

"If it meant ensuring its safety, I would jump into a black hole, sir. The Clan will always be my home but its safety means more to me than my comfort." Raylan said, trying to convince himself as much as his superiors. The other council members discussed for a moment and then turned back to Raylan.

"Very well, Star Captain. You will remain a member of the Clan as well as the Council, but you will be given leave to pursue these Star Remnants and expected to avoid contact with Clan Wolf in Exile until such time as these 'Star Remnants' are destroyed or you can otherwise ensure they will no longer hunt you down and bring harm to the Clan."

"Thank you." Raylan said, bowing slightly. "I would also like Mechwarrior Clara to accompany me. She has been a partner since the beginning of my career and I can not think of anyone else I would rather have at my side to confront these enemies."

"She will need to make that decision herself, but we give you our blessing." They paused. "We would like a copy of this information you have, however."

"Of course. I will copy the files and hand them to you before I leave." Raylan said and saluted before striding off to finalize his preparations. An hour later, Raylan returned and handed over the copied data to the Council Elders. He then returned to his bunk room and waited.

Some time later, Clara entered the room in a rush.

"Is what the council told me true? Are you really leaving?" She asked, the pain obvious in her voice.

"Aff, I am. The Star Remnants know who I am, what I am capable of and what intel I stole. They will hunt me down and bring war to anyone in their way to get to me. I cannot bring that to the Clan while we are trying to rebuild."

"Then I am absolutely coming with you, Raylan. The Council said they had given me permission to do so at your request." She put her hands on her hips and cocked them slightly. "Besides, we both know you would get your butt shot off without me there to watch it."

"No one I would rather have as back-up, Clara. There is just one thing left to do. And I suggest you have your gear packed and 'mech ready." He pulled up the offer from Colonel Kain and hit the contact link.

A moment later, Cassie's face appeared on the screen.

"Ah, if it isn't my favorite runaways. How are you doing, Raylan?" She asked, smiling widely.

"Very well, thank you Colonel. I have decided to take you up on your contract offer with a slight alteration if you will permit me?" The shock was clear on the Colonel's face as Raylan said this.

"Oh, by all means. I'm very interested in this." She said back.

"I have a 'mech of my own now but I would like to bring Mechwarrior Clara on with me, if that is acceptable."

"Does she have a 'mech as well?" Cassie asked, a smile growing on her lips.

"Aff, ma'am. A brand new, shiny _Hellbringer."_ Clara said and Cassie nodded.

"Wow, two Clanners and Clan tech in the same day? What kind of fool would I be to not accept that. I'll write up a contract for Clara as well. You do realize, however, that if you lose any weapons or systems on those fancy omnimechs we will have to patch them with Inner Sphere tech, right?"

"Aff, ma'am, we are aware." Raylan said not thrilled about the thought of Frankenstein-ing his _Cauldron Born_ but understanding the necessity of it.

"Well alright then. Like I said, I'll write up a contract for Clara and send it her way as soon as possible. I can set the _Blackstone_ on Arc Royal in a week and we'll get you two on board and set up. We'll have to register you with the Dragoon's Mercenary Board but that shouldn't be a problem, all things considered."

"Sounds good, Colonel. I look forward to working with you." Raylan said with a sincere smile.

"Seconded, Star Captain. See you soon." Cassie said before closing the link. Raylan let out a sigh.

"So, we are going to be mercenaries for real now?" Clara asked, looking to Raylan.

"Seems that way. If there is anyway to get as far away from the Clan, I figure doing the most un-Clanlike thing is a good start."

"Well, I cannot argue with that. I suppose we should work on our Sphereoid speech then…" Clara said, obviously uncertain about the development.

"I suppose so." An uncomfortable silence fell between them and after a moment, Clara stood up, slapping her hands on her thighs.

"Well, I guess I need to go pack my things. Again. Meet up later for a run?" She asked and Raylan nodded but then grabbed her wrist before she left.

"I am very happy that you are coming with me, Clara. It would not feel the same without you there." Clara smiled at Raylan earnestly.

"I could not imagine being anywhere other than in your unit, Raylan. I would not have it any other way." Clara responded before leaving.

The next few days went by without incident and Raylan kept in his routine. He and Clara prepared to depart, taking their 'mechs out on short patrols. Their nerves were growing but neither was sure if it was uncertainty or excitement. As the time came closer, Star Colonel Cary Vickers approached them with a sad smile.

"So, I hear you two will be leaving us soon?" She asked, although fully knowing the answer.

"Aff, Star Colonel. I decided that in order to keep the Star Remnants off the Clan's trail, it would be better to take the intel we found on Misery's End and walk a different path."

"You can just admit the idea of being stuck on Arc Royal for an indeterminate amount of time sounds terribly boring." Cary said, laughing slightly before becoming more serious. "It is a damn shame to lose you two. You both are some of the finest mechwarriors I have ever had the honor of serving with."

"Likewise, Star Colonel. It was a pleasure." Raylan said, shaking Cary's hand with a smile.

"I am sure we will meet again on the path." Clara said, taking Cary's hand as well.

"I certainly hope so. Good luck out there." Cary said, giving a salute and wave before walking away and leaving Raylan and Cary to finalize their preparations.

The following morning, the dropship _Blackstone_ touched down and both Clan mechwarriors piloted their Omnimechs into the waiting mechbays. The pair grabbed their packs and climbed down to the floor and met Colonel Cassie Kain. They shook hands and smiled.

"Welcome back, Vipers. So are we still using false names or…?" The Colonel asked, only half joking.

"I am Raylan Vickers now, Colonel." Raylan responded, chuckling slightly.

"And I am just Clara, ma'am." Clara said quickly.

"Fair enough. Well, we are ready to take off if you two are ready to leave. We can get you set up in your bunk rooms and you can get settled in. Follow me."

The Colonel led them to bunk rooms that were practically next door to each other, much to both former Clanner's pleasure. Raylan tossed his pack onto the bed and looked around at the familiar spartan quarters with a smile. It wasn't much, but it was what he was used to and this was truly his.

"Star Captain, a word?" The Colonel's voice almost made him jump as he turned to face her.

"Of course, ma'am, you are my superior officer now." Raylan said smiling. Cassie shrugged.

"Fair enough. Anyhow, I have a full lance already, which would normally cause a problem but if I understand Clan Military Structure at all, you have experience in leading a unit. As such, I want you to completely understand that you are going to be in a command position. In Inner Sphere terms, you will be ranked as a Captain and have a full lance at your command. Of course, Mechwarrior Clara will be a member but the other two will be up to your selection."

"And were will I find the other two members, ma'am?" Raylan asked trying to hide his joy at being given a command immediately.

"Well, Captain Vickers, it just so happens that in order to finalize you and Clara's registration, the Cavalry just happens to be heading to the largest meeting place of mercs, soldiers and otherwise in the galaxy. Outreach. Don't worry, I'll be there to help you through the process. I'm sure it's much different then how the Clan operates."

"I am sure of that as well, Colonel. Thank you." Raylan said as he shook the woman's hand again. She nodded and left, closing the door behind her with a hiss as Raylan turned to look out the window in his room. It had been almost 8 hours since they had taken off now and the planet of Arc Royal was becoming smaller and smaller below them.

Part of him was uncertain if he had made the right choice but as the planet grew smaller behind him, Raylan's confidence grew and grew. He had made the right decision, both for the safety of the Clan and also, on a personal level, this allowed Raylan the freedom to do what he loved most; fight. Raylan stood and opened the door to his room, pausing for just a moment to view Arc Royal a moment longer then, with a smile, headed off to walk this new path he had set for himself.

 _A/N: Holy crap, it's done! i never thought id finish this! but here it is, 10 chapters later. ANyway, I hope you all enjoyed this and I know I learned a lot from posting and updating. Raylan, Clara and Cassie will return soon I'm sure. I've got a few ideas on where I want to take this story. Also a side story about Kain's Cavalry. But until then, thank you all for reading and bearing with me when i missed updates and being so kind. I know this isn't the best story in the fandom but Im so happy to just be a small part of it now._


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